Seeds taken into orbit around the Moon sprouted into trees on Earth, a concept that began with the Apollo 14 mission in 1971. The idea originated from Edward P. Cliff, then head of the United States Forest Service. He persuaded astronaut Stuart Roosa to bring a canister of seeds aboard the mission.
The seeds originated from five tree species: loblolly pine, sycamore, sweetgum, redwood, and Douglas fir. Upon returning, these seeds were sent to the Forest Service stations in Gulfport, Mississippi, and Placerville, California, for germination. Most of the seeds successfully grew into seedlings, and about 420 were eventually produced.
Some Moon trees were planted alongside control trees on Earth for comparison. Over 40 years, no significant differences were observed between the Moon trees and their Earth-bound counterparts. In the mid-1970s, many were distributed to state forestry organizations for planting during the nation’s bicentennial celebration. Notably, a loblolly pine was planted at the White House, and others were sent to locations like Brazil and Switzerland.
The whereabouts of many planted trees remained largely unknown until a breakthrough in 1996. A third-grade teacher, Joan Goble, discovered a tree with a plaque identifying it as a Moon tree. She contacted NASA, leading to employee Dave Williams researching the project. Williams, unaware of the Moon trees, found old newspaper clippings detailing Roosa's efforts.
Williams launched an initiative to gather public input on the locations of these trees, creating a database of known Moon tree species and locations. By 2011, public interest was reignited through media coverage, pushing for more information about existing Moon trees.
In March 2021, a new effort emerged from the Royal Astronomical Society and the UK Space Agency, seeking to identify Moon trees potentially located in the UK. As of April 2021, none had been successfully identified.
The Moon Tree Foundation is reportedly an organization run by Roosa's daughter, Rosemary, which seeks to plant Moon trees in regions around the world. The foundation continues to celebrate and promote the legacy of these extraordinary trees that once journeyed through space.
The story of Moon trees not only highlights a unique intersection of science and nature but also captures the enduring quest to connect with our cosmic heritage.
