LA PALM TREES

Approaching Sunset,2020

In 1875 when Los Angeles had only just about 8000 residents, all the eye could see was a plain, rustic landscape with barely any trees. With the development of the railroad starting in the 1880’s California became more connected and accessible. As part of a marketing strategy to sell real estate in such barren land, imitating the much desirable Mediterranean sites of the Riviera, developers started to plant imported palm trees and in effect branded the city. Instantly the trees became a symbol of wealth, luxury and vacation.

Robert Irwin, Primal Palm Garden, 2010, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Kelly and Robert Day Garden, © Philipp Scholz Rittermann

The most major palm tree planting boom occurred at the time of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Los Angeles has only one native palm tree species (The California Fan Palm, recognizable by its impressive height and what looks like a fuzzy beard of brown leaves underneath its green fronds); the rest of the species aren gathered from all over the world. Today many are nearing the end of their natural life spans and unfortunately are mostly replaced with trees requiring less water.

WILLIAM FRIEDKIN “To Live and Die in LA”, 1985.

It is somewhat fitting that the most iconic symbol of Los Angeles is simultaneously a completely inauthentic asset. However it is also a remarkable testament to perfect (city) branding through nature and environment. We could learn much from the principle ingredients here: The story the palm trees told us was always one of old world glamour and Hollywood provided fantasy. That combination communicates an unmatched brand essence whose attraction is impossible to resist.

Palms and gold dust = LA / Image courtesy of SAINT LAURENT