LAKE FOREST, California — Amid the enthusiastic cheers of children adorned in spacesuits and shirts featuring celestial designs, a remarkable tree has found its new home in California.

This unique “Moon Tree” has its origins from seeds that journeyed around the moon and was introduced to Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary School in Lake Forest, where a group of students assisted in planting the tree with shovels, marking a significant moment in their educational journey.

The school, serving approximately 500 students across grades K-12, was chosen to receive a seedling of a giant sequoia, cultivated from seeds that were launched into space during NASA’s Artemis I Mission in 2022.

“It feels surreal,” remarked sixth grader Emily Aguesse, who contributed to the ceremonial planting of the tree. “I’ve always dreamt of going to space, and this boosts my interest even further.”

NASA’s endeavor with these seeds marks the second occasion they have sent seeds into space and later facilitated their planting back on Earth. Previously, during the Apollo 14 mission in 1971, an astronaut who was a former U.S. Forest Service smokejumper transported seeds that led to the creation of the first generation of Moon Trees, which have since been planted across various states from Alabama to Washington.

Although many of those original seedlings were allocated to national monuments, this latest collection focuses on schools and museums, aimed at inspiring science and conservation awareness while bringing a piece of space exploration closer to home, as noted by Paul Propster, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s chief story architect.

“It’s truly exciting and enjoyable to engage the future explorers,” Propster emphasized.

The effects of space travel on plant growth remain an area of exploration, and scientists continue to investigate this intriguing aspect. In 2022, nearly 2,000 seeds from five different tree species were sent into space aboard the unmanned Orion spacecraft, which orbited the moon and spent around a month traveling through space.

Upon their return, the seeds sprouted into young trees, including sycamores, sweetgums, Douglas firs, loblolly pines, and giant sequoias, which will be made available to the public through an application-based process. Earlier this year, around 150 seedlings were distributed, with another release anticipated this autumn, according to NASA officials.

Santiago, a school dedicated to science and technology, has planted its Moon Tree in a garden themed around space, surrounded by vibrant stones painted by the students. The parent-teacher association is set to organize community volunteers to nurture the Moon Tree, expected to thrive and increase in size over the coming decades amidst a grove of eucalyptus trees that provide shade on the Southern California campus.

To illustrate the potential growth of the tree, colorful ropes were arranged in circles on the ground, indicating how large it could become in 50 years — and even 500 years.

“This tree will grow alongside the children,” remarked Liz Gibson, a parent with three children at the school who led the NASA Moon Tree ceremony.