Fall is is in full swing.
And while most of the plants, trees, and flowers at the Getty Center look green all year round, there’s one tree whose impressive leaves not only fall every year, they make a great free souvenir.
Head up the entrance steps and walk to your right onto the plaza. You’ll spot a copse of sycamore trees among the tables and chairs. They offer shade to the nearby coffee cart in summer. In fall, their leaves flutter to the ground and impress everyone with their size.
They’re Yarwood trees, a hybrid variety. “Technically called a cultivar, or cultivated variety,” adds Brian Houck, head of Getty’s grounds and gardens. They grow well in bustling, paved areas like the open air café next to the coffee cart.
But you won’t find trees with leaves like these growing wild. Getty’s yarwood trees are the beneficiaries of expert pruning. Getty groundkeepers use a technique called turning to prune back the yarwoods’s branches so that they grow full canopies. Another result of that pruning is larger-than-normal leaves.
They’re so big that they’re super tempting to take home. You’ll even find some hanging in Getty offices. If you spot one before winter takes hold, take a photo and share it with us on Getty’s Instagram or email us at stories@getty.edu.
