A Tree of 40 Fruit is one of a series of fruit trees created by the Syracuse University Professor Sam Van Aken using the technique of grafting. Each tree produces forty types of stone fruit, of the genus Prunus, ripening sequentially from July to October in the United States.
'Tree 75' coming into blossom on the Syracuse University campus, where Van Aken is on the Sculpture faculty.
Artist's planning diagram of "Tree 71"
A Tree of 40 Fruit fruiting in the artist's nursery
The variety of fruit, harvested from one of the trees in one week, in August 2011
Grafting or graftage is a horticultural technique whereby tissues of plants are joined so as to continue their growth together. The upper part of the combined plant is called the scion while the lower part is called the rootstock. The success of this joining requires that the vascular tissues grow together. The natural equivalent of this process is inosculation. The technique is most commonly used in asexual propagation of commercially grown plants for the horticultural and agricultural trades. The scion is typically joined to the rootstock at the soil line; however, top work grafting may occur far above this line, leaving an understock consisting of the lower part of the trunk and the root system.
Cherry tree, consolidated "V" graft
Tape has been used to bind the rootstock and scion at the graft, and tar to protect the scion from desiccation.
A grafted tree showing two differently coloured blossoms
Graft particular to plum cherry. The scion is the largest in the plant, due to the imperfect union of the two. It can be seen on the enlarged trunk: this accumulation of starch is an indication of imperfection.
