Identification guide · Quartz Family
How to Identify Dendritic Agate
Dendritic Agate is usually white, gray, and black with a waxy luster and is translucent. It has a Mohs hardness of 7. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. Its streak is white. It is most often confused with Agate, Chalcedony, and Blue Lace Agate; the tests below separate them.
Dendritic Agate identification checklist
| Color | White, Gray, Black, Brown, Translucent | Look at a clean, dry surface in daylight. Color zoning, banding or spots are as diagnostic as the hue. |
|---|---|---|
| Luster | Waxy | Compare a fresh surface with glass and metal; this luster is softer than either. |
| Transparency | Translucent | Hold a thin edge up to a bright light and note whether light passes through. |
| Mohs hardness | 7 | It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file. |
| Streak | White | Drag a corner across unglazed porcelain (the back of a bathroom tile) and check the powder color. |
| Cleavage | None | |
| Fracture | Conchoidal | Broken surfaces show smooth, curved, shell-like scoops. |
| Specific gravity | 2.6 | Ordinary rock-like heft (specific gravity about 2.6), similar to quartz. |
| Crystal system | Hexagonal |
Dendritic Agate look-alikes and how to tell them apart
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Dendritic Agate vs Agate →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Dendritic Agate vs Chalcedony →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Dendritic Agate vs Blue Lace Agate →
Both sit near Mohs 7, so a scratch test alone will not separate them. Lean on luster, streak and heft instead. Dendritic Agate vs Fire Agate →
Is my Dendritic Agate real?
- Hardness: real Dendritic Agate sits at Mohs 7. Glass imitations are about 5.5, so genuine Dendritic Agate scratches glass while a glass fake cannot.
- Bubbles: round gas bubbles under a 10x loupe mean glass or resin, never a natural stone.
- Color: dyed material concentrates color in cracks and pores; look for pigment collecting at the edges of fractures.
- Temperature: natural crystals feel cool and take longer to warm in your hand than plastic or resin.
Field tips
- Look for the distinctive color, pattern, and translucency associated with Dendritic Agate.
- Photograph a fresh or polished surface in natural light and avoid glare.
- Use hardness, luster, fracture, and locality together; many chalcedony trade varieties overlap visually.
Dendritic Agate identification FAQ
How can you tell if a rock is Dendritic Agate?
Check the color (white, gray, black, and brown), the waxy luster, a Mohs hardness of 7 and a white streak. Photographing it with the StoneSnap app gives a match in seconds.
What is the hardness of Dendritic Agate?
Dendritic Agate has a Mohs hardness of 7. It scratches glass and a steel knife and cannot be scratched by a steel file.
What is the difference between Dendritic Agate and Agate?
Dendritic Agate (Mohs 7, waxy luster) and Agate (Mohs 7, waxy luster) look alike, but hardness, streak and heft usually separate them. See the full Dendritic Agate vs Agate comparison for a side-by-side table.
How do I know if my Dendritic Agate is real?
Real Dendritic Agate matches the hardness listed above, shows no round gas bubbles under magnification, and does not concentrate dye in cracks. Glass and resin fakes fail at least one of those checks.
Is Dendritic Agate worth anything?
Entry-level Dendritic Agate specimens sell for around $5, typical collector pieces about $30, and premium examples $200 or more depending on size, quality and locality.
What color is Dendritic Agate?
Dendritic Agate is most often white, gray, black, and brown. Color varies with impurities and locality, so confirm with hardness and luster rather than color alone.
