A Tree Grows Downtown
Ed Fuentes
[Flickr]
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — When you see these freshly planted palm trees where the leaning pole of the Arts District used to rise, it stands out as an invasion of a different visual culture. Thats when you realize that the lack of the L.A. icon is a very subtle characteristic of Downtown's landscape. You can see some palm trees at City Hall, the courthouses, larger hotels and sprinkled along the streets -- mostly standing alone -- but they are nowhere near as pervasive as elsewhere in the city.
Like everyone else, I have a fondness for these slender icons, but I also like how the lack of palm trees gives Downtown a certain look separate from the rest of Los Angeles.
Whenever an art director wants to identify L.A. in a shot––even with music videos based in South L.A.–- you will see palm trees in the background as a visual clue of location. It may explain in part the popularity of Downtown standing in for other urban cores -- there are no long lines of Canary Island Date or Mexican Palm trees to hide, giving the streets a neutral background.
Even the L.A. Live development seems to be going away from the signature palm. They've recently installed trees on the Nokia Plaza, and they've got branches and leaves like normal trees do. I'm sure the temptation was there to use the palm's decorative landscape crutch to make L.A. more "L.A.".
In the case of the MURA lofts, the addition of palms looks like a outsider's attempt to define Downtown as a larger part of Los Angeles, giving the development a generic California look that doesn't acknowledge either Little Tokyo or the more industrial Arts District.
If you see any interesting trees around Downtown, take a shot and place them in the blogdowntown flickr pool.
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WhitmanLam on September 11, 2007, at 11:29AM – #1
I can't stand the sight of Palm trees on any street in Los Angeles. They don't provide any shade or shelter for birds. They are not native to California, they displace natural species, they are like parasites feeding off of our Southern California glamour image.
Give me a ficus anyday.
David on September 11, 2007, at 11:46AM – #2
I've heard the movie people call palm trees "sky rats" because they often ruin otherwise good shots by giving away the fact that the location is in LA.
Bert Green on September 11, 2007, at 11:46AM – #3
Ah, the ficus — with its glorious shade canopy. Areas with mature ficus trees shading the streets are more walkable and attractive.
They are a bit hard on the sidewalks when improperly maintained however, but with the right care that can be managed.
WhitmanLam on September 11, 2007, at 12:01PM – #4
"In the case of the MURA lofts, the addition of palms looks like a outsider's attempt to define Downtown as a larger part of Los Angeles"===
I think that's a nice take on it... I would just say the developers are lazy, and don't like high maintenance trees that require trimming and alot of water. Hey, Palm trees thrive in our weather, and they look more pretty for out of towners... "Ooh look Ma, Im gonna git a piture o' that palm tree".
Gregory on September 11, 2007, at 12:22PM – #5
Maybe someone at the DWP, nostalgic for their beautiful power poles, thought a row of palms would come the closest to re-creating the look of the recent past, and passed along his recommendation to Mura's owner.
John on September 11, 2007, at 12:58PM – #6
After being downtown LA for 3 years, I almost forget that I live in LA because there are no Palm Trees. It just feels like any other city. So, I actually like that they are putting palm trees downtown. It reminds me that I live in Los Angeles!
Kolby on September 11, 2007, at 01:50PM – #7
Hm, I thought that Los Angeles decided last year to replace palms with native trees?
RobertA on September 11, 2007, at 03:10PM – #8
I happen to like palm trees but they should not be used exclusively as a street tree. The tipu trees you are seeing in South Park would be better for providing shade and they also flower. The city needs some consistency. The Ficus trees are not being planted today due to their invasive roots. They are nice and green but very messy and they grow too fast for the city to keep them trimmed. London Plane trees would also work...just like in Paris. I like Palm Trees in the medians...which we don't currently have downtown.
cab on September 11, 2007, at 05:10PM – #9
I just want some shade while walking down the street - unfortunately, palm trees don't provide any.
BusTard on September 14, 2007, at 07:00PM – #10
David, Rats love subways in New York and the palm trees in L.A. No, really: the rats nest in the palm trees. And who better to instinctively know this than those who name palm trees, "sky rats"?
BusTard
BusTard on September 14, 2007, at 07:02PM – #11
L.A. will never be Brooklyn—if ya know what I mean—no matter the clever juxtaposition nor the import of non-native species. Capiche? BusTard (presently not in Brooklyn)