San Dimas Moon Tree

San Dimas, California

Redwood planted 29 March 1977 at the San Dimas Technology and Development Center in San Dimas, California. The center is a satellite office of the USDA Forest Service. At planting, the tree was just over 15 inches tall.

The tree itself is a giant redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum), not a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens). There is no record of giant redwood seeds being taken to the Moon in Stuart Roosa's personal kit, so it is not clear if this is really a Moon Tree. The sign is very specific about where the seeds were collected and other details, but this doesn't match any of the records. The coast redwood seeds were collected in 1966 in Soquel, California (nowhere near the Six Rivers National Forest) and none of the seeds went down to the surface of the Moon (see history links below) so it is not clear if this is true, and if so, if it is related to the known Moon Trees. The sign is no longer at the site.

Picture of the San Dimas tree circa 2002 with a display about the tree planting in 1977, and an early picture of the tree.

History of the Moon Tree Coast Redwoods

History of Stuart Roosa and the Moon Tree Seeds

Moon Tree Home Page

NASA Official: Dave Williams, david.r.williams@nasa.gov
Last Updated: 13 September 2023, DRW