The beautiful deodar cedar canopy bordering Los Feliz Boulevard is designated as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #67. Originally planted as a joint venture of the Los Feliz Improvement Association and the Los Feliz Woman’s Club in 1916, the trees are a special charge of LFIA’s Beautification Committee. Native to the Himalayas, the cedars can grow to 80 feet tall and comprise two varieties, Cedrus atlantica and Cedrus deodara.

The trees are continuously monitored for disease and vandalism. They are susceptible to stress and eventual death from drought or over-irrigation. The mounding of soil around the base of the tree allows fungal diseases to develop and can kill a tree. Thus, the trees occasionally require replacement. In March, the LFIA was instrumental in planting two new saplings. Several bare spots are waiting for new deodars to be planted. Individuals may donate trees to be planted along the boulevard. Contact LFIA Beautification Chair Tom Ford at beautification@lfia.org. [This story was first published in the Spring-Summer 2008 issue of our newsletter, the Los Feliz Observer. All issues are available for download here.]