Desert rose, gypsum, 878 g 18 x 12 cm The desert rose is an evaporite. It is a gypsum aggregate. The way its constituent elements bond together is similar to the arrangement of a rose's petals. Desert sand provides these building blocks (sand, gypsum, or hydrated calcium sulfate), and the desert rose—also known as a sand rose—forms through the evaporation of capillary water from the soil. Add to basket