Biloxi Bay Area Chamber plants moon tree in honor of two former members

The Biloxi Bay Area Chamber of Commerce held a ceremony today at the Biloxi Visitor Center where they planted a moon tree for two former members who died last year.

A moon tree is a tree whose seed was taken to the moon by Stuart Roosa during the Apollo 14 launch in 1971.

The tree planted today is a second-generation moon tree, coming from the original moon tree planted on the Mississippi State campus.

It was planted in honor of Col. Phyllis Luttman USAF retired and Diane Burton, who had a passion for the Moon Tree Foundation.

The chamber also placed a bench in honor of the two women where the tree will eventually grow over and shade. Biloxi Bay Area Chamber Executive Director Tina Ross Seamans said, “It means so much to me because they meant so much to me, and they were just dear, dear people and it’s hard to really put it into words how much they did for the chamber and without ever complaining, I mean they were just there.”

The tree is an American sycamore and is expected to grow about two feet a year and live up to 100 years.