Qatar
Sand Origin
Wakra Beach
Random Sand Fact
Beneath the sand in Qatar, roses grow from crystal.
Desert roses form below the surface in dry, salty ground. As highly saline groundwater evaporates, gypsum begins to crystallise. Sand grains become trapped in the growing crystals, together forming the rose-like shapes.
Their colour depends on the sediment caught inside the crystals.
The form of the desert rose has inspired the design of the National Museum of Qatar, where large interlocking discs echo a giant crystal formation.
