George Harrison Memorial Tree Killed by Beetles

The Beatles musician passed away in 2001 and would likely appreciate irony of pine's demise

By Rebecca Macatee Jul 22, 2014 12:50 PMTags
George HarrisonTerry O'Neill/Getty Images

You'd think beetles would show some love for one of the Beatles, but they didn't give any preferential treatment George Harrison's memorial tree!

A pine planted in 2004 near L.A.'s Griffith Observatory in honor of the iconic musician was killed by his band's namesake insect, local councilman Tom LaBonge told The Los Angeles Times. In order words? A Beatle's memorial tree was killed by beetles!

Harrison's pine had grown to more than 10 feet tall in 2013, LaBonge said, but the recent onslaught of beetles sadly proved to be fatal. Fortunately, though, the tree will be replanted, although exactly when this will take place remains to be announced.

A plaque at the tree's base reads: "In memory of a great humanitarian who touched the world as an artist, a musician and a gardener."

It also quotes Harrison himself, saying: "For the forests to be green, each tree must be green."

The beetles didn't single out the Beatle, though. According to the L.A. Times, other trees in Griffith Observatory have also fallen victim to "bark beetles and ladybug beetles, among other tree-unfriendly creatures." Something tells us, though, that the rocker, who lost his battle to cancer in 2001 at age 58, would appreciate the irony of his tree getting taken out the way it did. 

Those pesky bugs should have let it be!