Apollo 14 launched in the late afternoon of January 31, 1971 on what was to be our third trip to the lunar surface. Five days later Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell walked on the Moon while Stuart Roosa, a former U.S. Forest Service smoke jumper, orbited above in the command module. Packed in small containers in Roosa's personal kit were hundreds of tree seeds, part of a joint NASA/USFS project. Upon return to Earth, the seeds were germinated by the Forest Service. Known as the "Moon Trees", the resulting seedlings were planted throughout the United States (often as part of the nation's bicentennial in 1976) and the world. They stand as a tribute to astronaut Roosa and the Apollo program.
The project began after Roosa was chosen for the Apollo 14 mission. Ed Cliff, Chief of the Forest Service, knew of Stuart Roosa from his days as a smoke jumper and contacted him about bringing seeds into space. Stan Krugman of the Forest Service was put in charge of the project and selected the seeds for the experiment. Seeds were chosen from five different types of trees: loblolly pine, sycamore, sweetgum, redwood, and Douglas fir. The seeds were classified and sorted, and sealed in small plastic bags that were stored in a metal cannister. Control seeds were kept on Earth for later comparison. Roosa carried possibly 2000 or more seeds in the cannister in his personal kit, a small canvas pouch that stayed with him as he orbited the Moon in the command module "Kitty Hawk" in February, 1971. Unfortunately, the seed bags burst open during the decontamination procedures after their return to Earth, and the seeds were scattered about the chamber and exposed to vacuum, and it was thought they might not be viable.
Stan Krugman collected the seeds and an attempt at germinating some of the seeds was made in Houston. Somewhat surprisingly, it proved successful and the seeds started growing, but they did not survive long because the facilities there were inadequate. A year later the remaining seeds were sent to the southern Forest Service station in Gulfport, Mississippi (sycamore, loblolly pine, and sweetgum) and to the western station in Placerville, California (redwood and Douglas fir) to attempt germination. Many of the seeds, and later cuttings, were successful and grew into viable seedlings. Some of these were planted with their Earth-bound counterparts as controls, (as might be expected, after over forty years there is no discernable difference) but most were given away in 1975 and 1976 to many state forestry organizations to be planted as part of the nation's bicentennial celebration. These trees were southern and western species, so not all states received trees. A loblolly pine was planted at the White House, and trees were planted in Brazil, Switzerland, and presented to the Emperor of Japan, among others. Trees have also been planted in Washington Square in Philadelphia, at Valley Forge, in the International Forest of Friendship, and at various universities and NASA centers, reportedly in 40 different states. The Moon Tree shown at top left is a sycamore growing at Koch Girl Scout Camp in Cannelton, Indiana and at top right at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. A list of known Moon Tree locations can be found below.
Stuart Roosa was born on 16 August 1933, in Durango, Colorado. He worked for the Forest Service in the early 1950's as a smoke jumper fighting fires and later joined the Air Force and became a test pilot. He was one of 19 people selected for the astronaut class of 1966 and was part of the astronaut support crew for Apollo 9. Following Apollo 14, Roosa was backup command module pilot for Apollo's 16 and 17. He then worked on the Space Shuttle program until his retirement as a Colonel in the Air Force in 1976, the time when many of his trees were being planted.
Sadly, Stuart Roosa passed away in December, 1994. The Moon Trees continue to flourish, a living monument to our first visits to the Moon and a fitting memorial to Stuart Roosa. Believed locations of some Moon Trees are listed below, but no list was ever kept nor any systematic tracking made of the disposition of all the trees. If you know of a Moon Tree, please send a message to dave.williams@nasa.gov.
City and State | Location | Type of Tree | Planting Date |
---|---|---|---|
Birmingham, Alabama |
Birmingham Botanical Gardens | Sycamore | 25 February 1976 |
Montgomery, Alabama |
State Capitol | Loblolly Pine | 19 April 1976 |
Troy, Alabama |
Pioneer Museum of Alabama | Loblolly Pine | 5 August 1976 |
Tuscumbia, Alabama |
Ivy Green | Loblolly Pine | 19 October 1976 |
University of Arizona, Tucson Arizona |
Kuiper Space Sciences Building | Sycamore | 30 April 1976 |
Ft. Smith, Arkansas |
Sebastian County Courthouse | Loblolly Pine | 15 March 1976 |
Washington, Arkansas |
Old Washington Historic State Park | Loblolly Pine | 15 March 1976 |
Arcata, California |
Humboldt State University | 3 Redwoods | 1976 |
Berkeley, California |
Tilden Nature Area | 2 Redwoods | 26 July 1976 |
Lockeford, California |
Lockeford Plant Materials Center | Redwood | 1979 |
Monterey, California |
Friendly Plaza | Redwood | 27 July 1976 |
Sacramento, California |
Capitol Park | Redwood | 1976 |
San Luis Obispo, California |
Mission Plaza | Redwood | 30 July 1976 |
Gainesville, Florida |
University of Florida | Sycamore | c. 1977 |
Keystone Heights, Florida |
Keystone Heights Library | Sycamore | 1984 |
Perry, Florida |
Forest Capital State Park | Loblolly Pine | 29 April 1978 |
Tallahassee, Florida |
Cascades Park | Sycamore | |
Tallahassee, Florida |
Doyle Conner Center | Loblolly Pine | 1976 |
Athens, Georgia |
Clarke County Planning Dept. | Loblolly Pine | May 1976 |
Waycross, Georgia |
Okefenokee RESA | Loblolly Pine | |
Boise, Idaho |
Lowell Elementary School | Loblolly Pine | 1977 |
Cannelton, Indiana |
Camp Koch Girl Scout Camp | Sycamore | 1976 |
Indianapolis, Indiana |
Indiana Statehouse | Sycamore | 9 April 1976 |
Lincoln City, Indiana |
Lincoln State Park | Sycamore | 1 May 1976 |
Tell City, Indiana |
Forest Service Office | 2 Sweetgums | 1976 |
Atchison, Kansas |
International Forest of Friendship | Sycamore | 24 July 1976 |
Elmer, Louisiana |
Palustris Experimental Forest | Loblolly Pine | April 1976 |
Bethesda, Maryland |
Society of American Foresters | Loblolly Pine | 30 September 1975 |
Greenbelt, Maryland |
Goddard Space Flight Center | Sycamore | 9 June 1977 |
Holliston, Massachusetts |
Holliston Police Station | Sycamore | April 1976 |
Niles, Michigan |
Fernwood Botanical Gardens | Sycamore | 23 April 1976 |
Biloxi, Mississippi |
Private Residence | Sycamore | 1974-75 |
Mississippi St. Univ., Mississippi |
Dorman Hall | Sycamore | 1975 |
Waynesboro, Mississippi |
Forestry Commission Nursery | Sycamore | |
Wiggins, Mississippi |
Camp Iti Kana | Sycamore | April/May 1974 |
DeSoto, Missouri |
Walther Park | Sycamore | |
Missoula, Montana |
University of Montana | Douglas Fir Status Unknown |
17 July 1976 |
Monmouth County, New Jersey |
Monmouth County Courthouse | Sycamore | |
Santa Fe, New Mexico |
State Capitol Building | Douglas Fir | 22 July 1976 |
Silver City, New Mexico |
Gough Park | Sycamore | 15 August 1976 |
Asheville, North Carolina |
Botanical Gardens at Asheville | Sycamore | 19 March 1976 |
Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina |
Cradle of Forestry | Sycamore | |
Jefferson County, Ohio |
Friendship Park | Sycamore | 29 July 1976 |
University of Oregon, Eugene Oregon |
Erb Memorial Union | Douglas Fir | 1976 |
Roseburg, Oregon |
U.S. Veteran's Hospital | Douglas Fir | 3 May 1976 |
Oregon State University, Corvallis Oregon |
Peavy Hall | Douglas Fir | Spring, 1976 |
Salem, Oregon |
State Capitol Building | Douglas Fir | 30 April 1976 |
Salem, Oregon |
Private Residence | 2 Douglas Firs | 1973 |
Coudersport, Pennsylvania |
Coudersport Area Recreational Park | Sycamore | Late 1970's |
Dillsburg, Pennsylvania |
Dillsburg Elementary School | Sycamore | 29 April 1983 |
Ebensburg, Pennsylvania |
Cambria County Courthouse | Sycamore | 29 June 1976 |
Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania |
Highland Hall | Sycamore | 5 May 1976 |
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania |
Lockheed Martin | Sycamore | 30 June 1976 |
Newtown/Langhorne, Pennsylvania |
Core Creek Park | Sycamore | 30 April 1976 |
Topton, Pennsylvania |
Topton Mini Museum | Sycamore | 20 April 1976 |
Knoxville, Tennessee |
University of Tennessee | Loblolly Pine | April 1976 |
Sewanee, Tennessee |
University of the South | Sycamore | April 1976 |
Westlake, Texas |
Private Residence | Sycamore | 1978 |
Draper, Utah |
Lone Peak Conservation Center | Sycamore | 1976 |
Doswell, Virginia |
Kings Dominion Amusement Park | Sycamore | 1976? |
Hampton, Virginia |
Patrick Elementary School | Sycamore | 30 April 1976 |
Loudoun County, Virginia |
Scott Jenkins Memorial Park | Sweetgum | September 1978 |
Olympia, Washington |
State Capitol Building | Douglas Fir | April 1976 |
Brasilia, Brazil |
IBAMA Institute | Sweetgum | 14 January 1980 |
Cambara do Sul, Brazil |
Praça Central São José | Redwood | 26 September 1982 |
Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil |
Santa Rosa | Redwood | 18 August 1981 |
Chavaniac, France |
Chateau Lafayette | Sycamore status unknown |
1976 |
Auburn University, Alabama |
G.W. Andrews Forestry Sciences Lab | Loblolly Pine *, Sycamore * |
22 October 1976 |
Huntsville, Alabama |
U.S. Space and Rocket Center | 5 Sycamores *, 2 Pines * |
29 October 1976 |
Tuskegee, Alabama |
VA Hospital (CAVHCS) | Loblolly Pine * | 1976 |
Flagstaff, Arizona |
Flagstaff Jr. High School | Douglas Fir * | 30 April 1976 |
Little Rock, Arkansas |
Forestry Commission Headquarters | Loblolly Pine * | 15 March 1976 |
Monticello, Arkansas |
University of Arkansas at Monticello | Loblolly Pine * | 1977? |
El Dorado Hills, California |
St. Stephen's Lutheran Church | Redwood * | 1976 |
San Dimas, California |
Technology & Development Center | Giant Sequoia? | 29 March 1977 |
Cape Canaveral, Florida |
Kennedy Space Center | Sycamore * | 25 June 1976 |
Gainesville, Florida |
University of Florida | 2 Loblolly Pines * | c. 1977 |
Boise, Idaho |
State Capitol | Douglas fir * | 7 May 1976 |
Moscow, Idaho |
University of Idaho | Sycamore * | |
Des Moines, Iowa |
State Capitol | Sycamore ? status unknown |
30 April 1976 |
New Orleans, Louisiana |
New Orleans River Walk | Loblolly Pine * | June 1983 |
New Orleans, Louisiana |
NASA Michoud Assembly Facility | Loblolly Pine (2?) * | July 1976 |
North Pembroke, Massachusetts |
Historical Society | Sycamore * | April 1976 |
Jackson, Michigan |
Sycamore * | 1976 | |
Lansing, Michigan |
State Capitol | Sycamore * | 1976 |
Wyoming, Michigan |
Wyoming Police Station | Sycamore * | 23 April 1976 |
Hattiesburg, Mississippi |
University of Southern Mississippi? | Status Unknown | 1976 |
Alamogordo, New Mexico |
International Space Hall of Fame | Sycamore * | 5 October 1976 |
Albuquerque, New Mexico |
Civic Plaza | Douglas Fir * | 7 April 1976 |
Capitan, New Mexico |
Smokey Bear State Park | Sycamore * | 15 May 1976 |
Athens, Ohio |
District 4 Headquarters | Sycamore * | 20 July 1976 |
Columbus, Ohio |
City Nursery | Sycamore * | 1976 |
Elkton, Oregon |
D.L. Phipps State Forest Nursery | Douglas Fir status unknown |
|
Illinois Valley, Oregon |
Siskiyou Smoke Jumpers Base | Douglas Fir * | |
Portland, Oregon |
World Forestry Center | Douglas Fir * | |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Washington Square | Sycamore * | 6 May 1975 |
Elizabethton, Tennessee |
Sycamore Shoals State Park | Sycamore * | April 1976 |
Tullahoma, Tennessee |
Arnold Air Force Base | Loblolly Pine * | April 1976 |
College Station, Texas |
Brazos County Arboretum | Sycamore * | 21 March 1976 |
Salt Lake City, Utah |
State Capitol Building | Douglas Fir * | |
Doswell, Virginia |
Kings Dominion Amusement Park | Sycamore* | 1976? |
Washington, D.C. |
White House | Loblolly Pine * | 19 January 1977 |
Princeton, West Virginia |
Forestry Sciences Lab | Sycamore* | 18 October 1975 |
* Trees no longer alive