WASHINGTON, D.C. — There are more than 4,800 trees on the U.S. Capitol grounds, and the newest is literally out of this world. 

A moon tree, grown from a seed that took flight on the Artemis I mission in 2022, has a new permanent home in the nation’s capital. 

What You Need To Know

  • Members of the Artemis II crew and government officials gathered Tuesday to plant a moon tree in Washington D.C.

  • The plant was grown from a seed that took flight on the Artemis I mission in 2022

  • It joins more than 4,800 trees already growing on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol

"The seeds of Artemis were planted here on Capitol Hill by all of our representatives and senators who supported the missions, sponsored it, authorized it, gave us funding and that allowed us to build the Artemis program that is going to take its first critical step with a crew next year," said NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy during the unveiling Tuesday. 

The Forest Service has been nurturing the seeds that were carried on board the Orion spacecraft as it completed the 25-day uncrewed Artemis I mission around the moon. 

"This sweet gum right here was grown from an array of different seeds that flew nearly 270,000 miles from Earth ... aboard the Orion spacecraft," said Capitol Grounds and Arboretum Director Jim Kaufmann. "I do believe that due to the work of many people, this tree is now the most unique tree here as part of our arboretum."

The next Artemis mission, Artemis II, will be crewed. The mission's four astronauts — three Americans and a Canadian — took part in Tuesday’s ceremony. 

"I am looking at it and I know you three are looking at it," said NASA Astronaut Reid Wiseman. "And if you're like me, I actually feel a little jealous, because that that little sweet gum has been to the moon and it has come back and it is now sitting here."

Melroy said NASA has long sent seeds into space — including the ones astronauts use to grow plants aboard the International Space Station.

"Some of it is about science, it’s about learning. How do these trees grow? How are they affected by a different environment?" Melroy said. "So, I think there’s scientific purposes, as there always should be, as we do something going out in space. We need to do it for the benefit, for the learning — but it’s also for the inspiration."

More moon tree seedlings are going out to institutions across the country, including young giant sequoias, Douglas firs and sycamores.