Where to find plants

Frequently asked questions

What types of plant fossils can I find?

Plant fossils fall into three main categories based on how they are preserved. Compressions and impressions preserve the two-dimensional outline of leaves, fronds, or seeds in fine-grained rock such as shale or mudstone — these are the most common type found in the field. Petrifactions replace the original plant tissue with mineral matter, preserving three-dimensional cellular detail; petrified wood is the most familiar example. Casts and moulds occur when plant tissue decays in sediment, leaving an impression or a mineral fill. The most accessible plant fossils for field collectors are coal-measure compressions from Carboniferous shales (approximately 300 Ma), which preserve large fronds of tree ferns such as Pecopteris and Neuropteris, clubmoss bark impressions of Lepidodendron and Sigillaria, and seed fern foliage.

Where can I find plant fossils?

Carboniferous shales associated with coal seams are the most reliably productive sites. Florissant Fossil Quarry in Colorado (Eocene, approximately 34 Ma) is a pay-to-dig site where visitors split shale to find detailed leaf and insect impressions from an ancient lake system. The Mazon Creek Formation of Illinois (Carboniferous, approximately 307 Ma) preserves plant and animal material in iron-carbonate nodules; the best examples come from coal-mining spoil heaps in the Braidwood area. In the UK, Carboniferous coalfield sites in South Wales and the East Midlands produce plant compressions from spoil heaps, though access requires landowner permission. Akal Wood Fossil Park in Rajasthan, India (Early Jurassic), and the viewing areas at Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona both preserve petrified wood viewable in situ.

Can I collect petrified wood on public land?

It depends on the land designation. On Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land in the United States, the casual collection provision of the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA) allows personal collection of reasonable quantities of common plant fossils for personal, non-commercial use without a permit. The BLM has specifically noted that collecting small amounts of petrified wood is generally permitted on BLM land under this provision. However, Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona is protected federal land where removing even a fragment is illegal and carries significant fines. Several state parks in Arizona, Wyoming, and other western states also prohibit removal. Always confirm the specific land designation and its applicable rules before collecting petrified wood at any site.