Moon Trees

What It Covers

Astronaut Stuart Roosa carried 500 tree seeds to the moon on Apollo 14 in 1971. Most survived the journey and were planted across America, creating living monuments that connect ordinary people to space exploration through accessible touchpoints.

Key Questions Answered

• •Space Biology Experiment: NASA sent 500 seeds from five tree species (redwood, Douglas fir, sycamore, loblolly pine, sweet gum) on Apollo 14 to test radiation and microgravity effects on plant DNA. Despite the seed canister exploding during decontamination, 420-450 seeds germinated normally with no observable mutations.
• •Distributed Living History: Moon trees were planted at diverse locations including the White House, state capitals, Girl Scout camps, cemeteries, and private residences. Most plaques were lost over time, creating hidden connections to space history in everyday public spaces that people pass unknowingly.
• •Rediscovery Through Crowdsourcing: A third grader's question to NASA in the 2000s revealed no official records existed of moon tree locations. NASA scientist Dave Williams launched a public website to crowdsource locations, recovering over 100 of the original 450 trees through community reports and mapping efforts.
• •Access to Space Exploration: Touching a moon tree provides physical connection to lunar travel without being an astronaut. These 50-year-old living organisms that orbited the moon 34 times offer tangible access to space history, democratizing an experience typically reserved for elite astronauts and scientists.