Earthquakes, volcanic activity and geological disturbances led to the fossilisation of the area’s paleoflora millions of years ago. More specifically, a series of geological events at the coastal area, close to Cape Maleas, caused the palm forest that existed in the area to sink. Organic matter of trees, plants and mollusks was replaced by solutions of silicon and calcium over a process that lasted centuries.

The coastline of Lakonia’s south where fossils have been preserved is large and offers a superb view. It includes fossilised root knots a metre deep, roots, trunks and shellfish

Nowadays, the area is a geological museum with an extensive history. The petrified palm forest of the coastal zone of Agios Nikolaos is included to the Atlas of Geological Monuments of the Aegean.