Petrified tree

Part of Hall of Planet Earth.

Petrified Tree AMNH/R.Mickens

This petrified tree was part of a grove of redwoods knocked down and buried by a volcanic blast more than three million years ago.  Later, as mineral-rich waters flowed through the buried forest, the trees’ cells were replaced by the mineral silica, which preserved the cellular structure as rock. All of the treetops at the Petrified Forest point away from the source of the volcanic blast.

Provided by The Petrified Forest, Calistoga, California