John Lennon Memorials

George Harrison Memorial Tree in Griffith Park

Los Angeles, United States, 2004

The George Harrison memorial tree stands at the Charlie Turner Trailhead near Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, where a pine dedicated in 2004 was felled after a bark beetle infestation in 2014 and replaced with a yew pine on 25 February 2015.

The George Harrison tree is in Los Angeles's Griffith Park, at the Charlie Turner Trailhead across the parking area from Griffith Observatory. A pine was dedicated there in 2004 to honour Harrison, a keen gardener. Bark beetles infested it and it was cut down in June 2014. A yew pine was planted in the same place on 25 February 2015.

The first tree

Harrison died in Los Angeles in 2001. A few years later a pine was planted in his memory at the foot of the trail up Mount Hollywood, and it was dedicated in 2004. CNN ran a photo of the dedication showing his widow Olivia Harrison, Eric Idle and Jeff Lynne. City councilman Tom LaBonge, whose district included the park, backed the tree then and again later.

Reports disagree on the details. CNN called the tree a Japanese black pine planted in 2003. City News Service and the AP called it a Canary Island pine planted in 2004, and ABC7 gave the planting year as 2002. The only year all the reports agree on is the 2004 dedication.

Beetles, and a second tree

In 2014 bark beetles got into the pine. By then it was about 12 feet (3.7 m) tall. City officials had it cut down on 18 June 2014 so the infestation wouldn't spread to nearby trees, leaving a stump beside the plaque. Time and other outlets noted the irony of a Beatle's tree killed by beetles.

LaBonge promised to replace it. On 25 February 2015, which would have been Harrison's 72nd birthday, a yew pine went into the same spot. His sister Louise Harrison attended, and Chris Carter, host of the radio show Breakfast With the Beatles, ran the ceremony. A visitor who came by in August 2020 reported that the tree was still there.

Finding it

The tree, with its plaque a few feet away, is next to the Charlie Turner Trailhead, on the far side of the Griffith Observatory parking area from the building. The trail from there leads toward the summit of Mount Hollywood. Also in Los Angeles is the Beatles' star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in nearby Beverly Hills there is Ringo Starr's Peace and Love sculpture.

Common misconceptions

  • ClaimThe George Harrison tree in Griffith Park is gone.

    RecordThe original pine was cut down on 18 June 2014 after a bark beetle infestation, but a yew pine was planted in the same spot on 25 February 2015.

    Why the mix-upThe 2014 story of a Beatle's tree killed by beetles spread widely; the 2015 replanting got less coverage.

Inscription

In memory of a great humanitarian who touched the world as an artist, a musician and gardener. For the forests to be green, each tree must be green.

Nearby

Sources

  1. CNN. Pine tree dedicated to Beatle is laid low, by beetles. Accessed 13 September 2026.
  2. ABC7 Los Angeles. New George Harrison tree planted to replace tree killed by beetles. Accessed 13 September 2026.
  3. MyNewsLA / City News Service. George Harrison memorial tree to be planted at Griffith Park. Accessed 13 September 2026.
  4. CBS News / AP. Tree planted in Los Angeles park in memory of George Harrison. Accessed 13 September 2026.
  5. Time. George Harrison Memorial Tree Ironically Killed by Beetles. Accessed 13 September 2026.
  6. OpenStreetMap. Charlie Turner Trailhead. Accessed 13 September 2026.
  7. Hikespeak. Mount Hollywood, Griffith Park. Accessed 13 September 2026.
  8. Stan's Obligatory Blog. The George Harrison Tree (visit, 16 August 2020). Accessed 13 September 2026.

Last verified against sources on . Found an error? Send a correction.