El Pino ( en, The Pine Tree) is a large

bunya pine ''Araucaria bidwillii'', commonly known as the bunya pine and sometimes referred to as the false monkey puzzle tree, is a large evergreen coniferous tree in the plant family Araucariaceae. It is found naturally in south-east Queensland Aust ...

located on the southeastern corner of Folsom Street and N. Indiana Street in

East Los Angeles East Los Angeles ( es, Este de Los Ángeles), or East L.A., is an unincorporated area in Los Angeles County, California. As of the 2020 census it had a population of 118,786, a drop of 6.1% from 2010, when it was 126,496. For statistical purpo ...

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

. The tree overlooks the Wellington Heights neighborhood of East Los Angeles and the

Boyle Heights Boyle is an English, Irish and Scottish surname of Gaelic, Anglo-Saxon or Norman origin. In the northwest of Ireland it is one of the most common family names. Notable people with the surname include: Disambiguation *Adam Boyle (disambiguation), ...

neighborhood of the

city of Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

from atop a small hill.

History

The tree, a mature

, grows on the former property of Dr. Okuno, a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

dentist and intern in a World War II concentration camp. Following release, Dr. Okuno received the land as a gift from an Anglo lady with whom his wife worked. There he rebuilt his business and amassed a huge library. After retiring, he took long strolls around East Los Angeles, greeting everyone and amusing the children with storytelling. Dr. Okuno is listed in the California Who's Who. On Día de los Inocentes in December 2020, an online rumor spread that a

real estate developer Real estate development, or property development, is a business process, encompassing activities that range from the renovation and re- lease of existing buildings to the purchase of raw land and the sale of developed land or parcels to othe ...

was planning to fell the tree as part of a new housing development. Although the rumour was false, it sparked outrage among the locals enough for them to petition the city to "save El Pino from being cut down". Art Gastelum, a local resident who owns the property on which the tree stands, reassured locals that he has no intentions to develop the property.

East Los Angeles landmark

The people of East Los Angeles consider the tree a living monument of the area's multifaceted ethnic background. The area is known for having the highest proportion of Hispanic Americans out of any city or

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the count ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

outside of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

. In recent years, the tree has also become a symbol of community resistance to the

gentrification Gentrification is the process of changing the character of a neighborhood through the influx of more affluent residents and businesses. It is a common and controversial topic in urban politics and planning. Gentrification often increases the ec ...

of their neighborhood.

In popular culture

The El Pino is extensively featured in the 1993

Taylor Hackford Taylor Edwin Hackford (born December 31, 1944) is an American film director and former president of the Directors Guild of America. He won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for '' Teenage Father'' (1979). Hackford went on to direct ...

movie ''

Blood In Blood Out ''Blood In Blood Out'' (also known as ''Bound by Honor'' and ''Blood In Blood Out: Bound By Honor'') is a 1993 American epic crime drama film directed by Taylor Hackford that has become a cult-classic film with a cult following among the Mexi ...

''.

References

{{reflist Individual pine trees Individual trees in California Landmarks in Los Angeles Natural history of Los Angeles County, California Boyle Heights, Los Angeles Eastside Los Angeles

History

East Los Angeles landmark

In popular culture

See also

References