The Tree of 40 Fruits

A tree, can be attributed as one of the wonders of the world, which is capable to produce 40 different fruits on its branches. The first such tree was invented by Sam Van Aken which called “Tree of 40 Fruit.”

The tree, which planted by Sam Van Aken, was different from other plants as it grew with branches blossom in different shades of pink, white and crimson and then quite magically yielded different type of fruits.

The tree showers many colored flowers in spring and it produces many varieties of fruits in summer like, plums, peaches, almonds, apricots, cherry, nectarine, etc.

Sam Van Aken is a contemporary artist who works beyond traditional modes of art making, crossing artistic genres and disciplines to develop new perspectives on such themes as communication, botany, agriculture, climatology, and the ever-increasing impact of technology.

Van Aken’s interventions in the natural and public realm are seen as metaphors that serve as the basis of narrative, sites of place making, and in some cases even become the basis of scientific research. 

In 2008, while looking for specimens to create a multicolored blossom tree as an art project, Van Aken acquired the 3 acres orchard of the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, which was closing due to funding cuts

He began to graft buds from some of the over 250 heritage varieties grown there, some unique, onto a stock tree.

Over the course of about five years the tree accumulated branches from forty different donor trees, each with a different fruit, including almond, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach, plum, etc.

Each spring the tree's blossom views as a mixture of different shades of red, pink and white.

This tree which can produce 40 fruits, was originally conceived as an art project.

Sam Van Aken hoped that people would notice that the tree has different kinds of flower in spring and has different types of fruit in summer.

However, the project also introduces the changes in agricultural practices over the centuries.