Moon Trees: The Apollo 14 seeds that circled the Moon and now grow across America

Summary

In 1971, Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa carried roughly 500 tree seeds around the Moon in his personal kit. After returning to Earth, the seeds were germinated and the resulting seedlings—called "Moon Trees"—were planted at courthouses, schools, parks, state capitols, NASA centers, and universities across the United States. These ordinary-looking trees have an extraordinary flight history, though most people walking under them are unaware of their lunar connection, with their story hidden in small plaques.