Way up in the hills of Griffith Park in Los Angeles sits the George Harrison Tree, originally planted in 2003 in tribute to the ex-Beatle who prided himself as a gardener.

The George Harrison tree was planted near the Griffith Park Observatory at the Mount Hollywood Hiking Trail. The tree was planted in February 2003 and the following year, on February 22, 2004, a dedication ceremony to unveil a special bronze plaque was held, as the city declared “George Harrison Day” that year in Los Angeles.

The original tree planted was a Cayman Island Pine (pictured here)

At the 2004 dedication ceremony, friends and associates gathered to pay tribute to Harrison including singer Billy Preston, singer Jackie Lomax, Council member Tom LaBonge, Chris Carter, host of LA’s “Breakfast with the Beatles” and Linda Arias, Olivia Harrison’s sister, who read a message sent by Olivia thanking everyone for remembering her husband George.

However, the original tree that was planted – a Cayman Island Pine – made headlines in 2014 when it was reported that the tree had died. In June 2014, the tree had to be cut down due to infestation by none other than beetles.

In February 2015, an oak tree was planted in place of the pine tree. This special tree is located at the opposite end of the parking lot from the Griffith Park Observatory.

The bronze plaque placed in front of the George Harrison Tree features a lotus flower and reads: “In memory of a great humanitarian who touched the world as an artist, a musician and a gardener,” followed by a quote from George Harrison: ‘For the forest to be green, each tree must be green.’ George Harrison (1943-2001)

***