This Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir was raised from a seed carried to the moon by Apollo 14 astronaut Stuart Roosa in 1971. Although Roosa was a native of Oklahoma, he was no stranger to Oregon. While in college, he worked summers here as a smoke jumper and as a surveyor. Roosa trained to be an astronaut in Eastern Oregon and later returned to hunt Elk and Duck. After his historic flight, Roosa expressed his strong ties with Oregon by choosing to have his official homecoming parade in Coos Bay.
Stuart Roosa brought more than 400 seeds to the moon with him in his personal kit. Most of the seeds successfully germinated and, after some nursery time, were distributed to many states, and several foreign countries, to celebrate the bicentennial.
Our Moon Tree was planted by Governor Bob Straub, on Arbor Day, April 30, 1976. The tree's original seed came from Corvallis.
The Moon Tree is located in Salem Oregon, near Court Street, in Willson Park to the West of the Capitol building.
Height: 63 '
Circumference: 19"
Age: 31 years
Dedicated: April 11, 2003