Bloodstone is a green stone with red spots. It also occurs in shades of dark green with red, brown and multicolored spots. The iron minerals cause the deep red and brown colors. Heliotrope, in mineralogy, is the mineral commonly called "bloodstone", and sometimes termed girasol - a name applied also to fire-opal. The name, like those of many ancient names of minerals, seems to have had a fanciful origin. According to Pliny the stone was so called because when thrown into the water it turned the sun's light falling upon it into a reflection like that of blood.

Bloodstone is an inexpensive stone. It is often used for pendants and bead necklaces. Even today, finely pulverised bloodstone is used as a medicine and aphrodisiac in India. Perhaps that explains why it is now rather difficult to find fine specimens of bloodstone on the market.