Unionville in Putnam County, Missouri — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Moon Sycamore
(Plantanus occidentalis)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2021
1. Moon Sycamore Marker
This American sycamore is grown from one of the small number of seeds carried to the moon and back by Astronaut Stuart Roosa on the February 1971 Apollo 14 flight.
The seeds were germinated by a US Forest Service scientist at NASA's manned space center at Houston, Texas. The project is intended to focus attention on the past and future importance of trees and forest resources.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Horticulture & Forestry. In addition, it is included in the Historic Trees series list. A significant historical month for this entry is February 1971.
Location. 40° 28.584′ N, 93° 0.167′ W. Marker is in Unionville, Missouri, in Putnam County. It can be reached from South 17th Street just north of Grant Street, on the left when traveling south. Marker and Sycamore tree are located near the southwest corner of the Putnam County Courthouse grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1601 Main Street, Unionville MO 63565, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Missouri. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 5 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Clark Coffeetree (a few steps from this marker); Johnny Appleseed Tree (a few steps from this marker); Unionville (within shouting distance of this marker); Basking Ridge Oak
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Regarding Moon Sycamore. The scientific name for the American Sycamore tree is actually Platanus occidentalis. There appears to be an extraneous "n" in the marker inscription.
Also see . . . The "Moon Trees".
Apollo 14 launched in the late afternoon of January 31, 1971 on what was to be our third trip to the lunar surface. Five days later Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell walked on the Moon while Stuart Roosa, a former U.S. Forest Service smoke jumper, orbited above in the command module. Packed in small containers in Roosa's personal kit were hundreds of tree seeds, part of a joint NASA/USFS project. Upon return to Earth, the seeds were germinated by the Forest Service. Known as the "Moon Trees", the resulting seedlings were planted throughout the United States (often as part of the nation's bicentennial in 1976) and the world. They stand as a tribute to astronaut Roosa and the Apollo program.(Submitted on December 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, August 15, 2021
2. Moon Sycamore Tree
Credits. This page was last revised on December 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 13, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 276 times since then and 42 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 14, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
