From the Marshall Space Flight Center to beyond the Moon, and finally to its final destination at Monte Sano State Park, the most traveled tree seed in history is home.

On a cloudy, windy and cold first day of spring, a dedication was held Thursday to celebrate the planting of the “Moon Tree,’’ a pine at the John Scoble Memorial Pavilion. A sapling at the entrance to the pavilion sprouted from a seed that hitched a ride aboard the Artemis I mission’s Orion orbiter.

Orion was powered by the Space Launch System (SLS), which was designed at the Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC).

“We are laying the foundation for continuous deep space exploration, expanding human presence deeper into the solar system,’’ said Marcia Lindstrom, who works in the NASA SLS program at MSFC. “Artemis I laid the cornerstone of that foundation and as part of that historic mission aboard the Orion spacecraft high atop the SLS rocket, the seed of this little tree, this little Loblolly pine, traveled more than 268,000 miles from Earth, 40,000 miles beyond the Moon, farther from Earth than Apollo 14, which had carried its ‘forefathers.’

“After a journey of approximately 1.3 million miles, it’s back to grow here on Monte Sano as a symbol of a new generation, the Artemis generation. But because the Monte Sano moon tree is in this place, it represents far more than that. It represents Huntsville’s place along a continuum. Artemis I was a mission of historic significance, but it was not the beginning. It was a moment in time, but not the beginning.’’

Alex Hall, president of the Von Braun Astronomical Society, is convinced the sapling is in its proper place.

“We’re all here because it represents something just a little bit bigger than ourselves, something that maybe we can look at and we can touch, and it gives us that level of inspiration,’’ she said. “And for the Von Braun Astronomical Society, this tree really does recognize our longstanding partnership with Monte Sano State Park and provides another touch point that we can use to engage and inspire our communities.

She added, “I’m really grateful for the support of (park manager Zachary Hurd), and the rest of the park team in wholeheartedly embracing our little space traveler and finding such a great home for it.’’

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle highlighted the Loblolly seed’s journey of “many, many, many miles,’’ he said. He also cast the tree as another chapter in the city’s narrative, past and future.

“As it grows in our community, we’ll see our community grow,’’ he said. “We’ll see our state park grow. We’ll see our visions for NASA grow.’’

He continued, “This is about the pages of history about our community and the footnotes of history that we wrote about propulsion that took man to the moon. And it’s about developing the propulsion systems that are taking man back to the moon. And now we’re developing the propulsion systems that are going to take us to Mars and even further. This (tree) is a symbol of what we’re proud of.’’

Northwest Alabama Parks District Superintendent Chad Davis pointed out that March 20 was the official first day of spring.

“It seems especially appropriate,’’ he said, “even though it does not feel like it.’’

The ceremony ended when a sudden burst of sleet scattered the crowd taking pictures with and of the tree. Some headed to one of the two observatories on the mountain to warm up with refreshments. Earlier, Lindstrom repeated an astronaut’s quote from the early days of space exploration that seemed appropriate.

“You’re gonna recognize these words,’’ She said. “‘We leave as we came, and God willing, as we shall return with peace and hope for all mankind.’ Those were the last words from Apollo’s 17 Commander Eugene Cernan as they left the surface of the moon on December 14th, 1972.”

Apollo 17 was America’s last manned flight to the Moon. Artemis I launched on Nov. 16, 2022, which was one month from the 50th anniversary of the mission carrying Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt to the Moon, signaling America’s return to deep space.

It took the seed along.

“The return that Captain Cernan and so many others had longed for,’’ Lindstrom said, “Artemis I launched and it was an eye-watering success.’’

On a day that begged for hyperbole, a little sapling that was put in the ground at the John A. Scoble Pavilion got all that it deserved.