A tree that looks like any other undergoes a magical transformation when it blossoms. The Tree of 40 Fruit created by Sam Van Aken is not what it seems at first glance. Its branches burst into vibrant shades of pink, white, and crimson, displaying a mesmerizing mix of plums, peaches, apricots, nectarines, cherries, and other fruits.
The Origins of a Living Sculpture
Sam Van Aken, a 42-year-old sculptor and art professor at Syracuse University, invented the Tree of 40 Fruit in 2008. It all began with a vision to create a piece of natural art that would constantly transform itself. By grafting branches from different trees, Van Aken could determine how the tree morphed and take control of its artistic expression.
Today, there are 18 of these wondrous trees across the country, with more being planted in Illinois, Michigan, and California. Several are located in New York, including the original Tree of 40 Fruit on the Syracuse campus. Private homes and museums, such as the 21C Museum/Hotel in Bentonville, Arkansas, have also acquired these unique trees. The Bentonville tree, in particular, has become a beloved attraction, captivating people from the moment it was planted.
The Art of Grafting
Creating these multi-fruit trees requires precision, but the grafting process itself is not overly complicated. Van Aken takes a slice of a fruit tree, complete with buds, and inserts it into a matching incision in a host tree that has been growing for at least three years. Electrical tape secures the connection, holding the pieces together. With success, the veins of the different trees merge, sharing a vascular system.
Alternatively, Van Aken employs a grafting technique involving buds. In February, he carefully removes healthy buds from a tree, storing them in a freezer until August. During this time, he trims buds off a host tree’s branches and replaces them with the previously stored ones. Wrapping the new buds in plastic creates a greenhouse effect. The following spring, any remaining old buds near the graft are removed. The trick is to convince the host tree that the new pieces are part of itself. Van Aken shared the process of creating the Tree of 40 Fruit in a TED talk held in Manhattan.
For three years after planting, Van Aken tends to each of his trees twice a year. In spring, he prunes the branches, and in summer, he adds more grafts. It takes at least nine years for a Tree of 40 Fruit to reach its peak—five years for the grafts to develop and another four for the different fruits to appear.
Preserving Forgotten Flavors
Van Aken focuses on using trees that produce stone fruits, those with pits, as they tend to be compatible with each other. He has gained access to nearly 250 different varieties, but most of them are unfamiliar to the general public. These peaches, plums, and apricots may not meet the preferred size, color, or shelf-life requirements for store sales. However, they offer a wide range of taste sensations, from tooth-achingly sweet to tangy and sour.
Through his art project, Van Aken unintentionally became a champion of conservation, working to prevent these fruit species from disappearing.
In fact, his work caught the attention of DARPA, the research arm of the Department of Defense. Van Aken met with representatives from the agency’s Biological Technologies Office to share his knowledge of preserving heirloom and native fruit varieties.
From Art to Education
While continuing to create Trees of 40 Fruit, Van Aken’s agricultural focus is expanding. His latest project, inspired by the German concept of streuobstweise (community orchards), aims to educate communities about the fruits native to their regions and engage younger generations in the fading tradition of growing food. Collaborating with art historian and entrepreneur Chris Thompson, as well as local businesses and community groups, Van Aken plans to establish a streuobstweise in Freeport, Maine. This community orchard will predominantly feature trees that produce a single type of fruit, bringing back local varieties that most people have never had the chance to taste.
“The Trees of 40 Fruit were a way for me to collapse an entire orchard into one tree to preserve varieties and diversity,” says Van Aken. “But if the Tree of 40 Fruit is a collapse, the streuobstweise is an explosion, returning these varieties to individual trees.”
Through his innovative creations, Sam Van Aken combines artistry, conservation, and education into living sculptures that bear extraordinary fruit.
