Temple University Welcomes Tree Bred to Grow 40 Different Fruits

Many artists work with paint, clay, or even fabric. Live trees are a less common medium, but one modern artist has found a way to express himself by growing a unique tree capable of producing dozens of fruit varieties.

As Popular Science reports, Sam Van Aken recently brought his art project, Tree of 40 Fruits, to Temple University’s main campus in Philadelphia. As the name suggests, the single plant can bear 40 different types of fruits, including apricots, plums, cherries, and peaches. During one of his recent lectures at the Philadelphia college, Van Aken described the plant breeding method known as grafting, which combines one plant’s fruiting or flowering abilities with the roots of a stronger plant. 

Grafting is a popular propagation method, as most fruit trees “don’t come true to seed.” Take red delicious apples: Seeds from the fruit won’t grow into trees when planted. Instead, new red delicious trees are propagated by grafting part of the apple tree onto the rootstock of a different tree. Growing cuttings (or taking a snippet of a plant and letting it regrow missing parts) is another propagation option. Cuttings don’t root easily, however, so this method is less common with fruit trees.

Grafting is a common practice, but it’s also a long and difficult one. Van Aken told NPR that it takes a year to know if a grafting project is successful. Additionally, it takes two to three years to know if the plant will bear fruit, and nearly eight raise a full tree. 

According to Temple University, Van Aken hosted workshops on merging art and horticulture for students in the landscape architecture, horticulture, and visual arts departments last month. The artist and botanist will offer more educational opportunities over the next two years at Temple University‘s Ambler and main campuses. He plans to plant another Tree of 40 Fruits in the Ambler location’s arboretum and will continuously care for both art trees. 

Read More About Plants: