This Crazy Tree Grows 40 Kinds of Fruit | National Geographic

Sam Van Aken, an artist and professor at Syracuse University, uses "chip grafting" to create trees that each bear 40 different varieties of stone fruits, or fruits with pits. The grafting process involves slicing a bit of a branch with a bud from a tree of one of the varieties and inserting it into a slit in a branch on the "working tree," then wrapping the wound with tape until it heals and the bud starts to grow into a new branch. Over several years he adds slices of branches from other varieties to the working tree. In the spring the "Tree of 40 Fruit" has blossoms in many hues of pink and purple, and in the summer it begins to bear the fruits in sequence—Van Aken says it's both a work of art and a time line of the varieties' blossoming and fruiting. He's created more than a dozen of the trees that have been planted at sites such as museums around the U.S., which he sees as a way to spread diversity on a small scale.

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This Crazy Tree Grows 40 Kinds of Fruit | National Geographic

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[BradMondel]

I successfully grafted a purple hibiscus onto a red tree so now it blooms both purple and red. This spring I will add yellow and orange.

[sugarvampire]

This video was published 3 years ago. I think we're due for an update! 🤩

[keziahsealey-liverpool]

He impresses me. He knew what he wanted to do and he stuck with it, even others thought it was absurd. Now there's a tree that has 40 different fruits that I'm dying to see.

[bockeemusic]

he even has a diagram for each trees? he really takes tree planting to the next level.

[knelson]

When I was a kid I was gifted an apple tree that produced 5 different types of apples. It was awesome!

[jiteshpujari]

I would love to see a 365 day time lapse of this tree . I feel like it has the potential to be the most watched video on YouTube 🎉

[junkurtaquino]

Friend: what kind of fruit tree is that?

Me: fruit cocktail.

[NatGeo]

Using "chip grafting, " this artist and professor created trees that bear 40 different varieties of fruits—blossoming into hues of pink and purple. Witness the growth of these magnificient plants.

[yourfriend]

I did this when I was 8 years in our vineyard lol, I learned how to do it from my father. I grafted one tree and it ended up having seven different kinds of grapes🍇😍😅

[flora]

This tree should be named *Fruitkenstein* because this is exactly what it is.

[alipapa]

Other trees: that tree is such a teacher's pet.
The tree: mr grafter, I got you an apple and 39 other fruits.

[kiranpatil]

I have a mango tree in my yard and it grows 14 types of mangoes.. 😊
my grandmother planted the tree for me.. I love my grandma

[JDDevice]

When you’re financially stable, you’ll be surprised just how creative you are.

[LamanKnight]

So... the trees grow as natural bouquets of blossoms, and then they turn into a natural fruit salad.
That has to be the coolest thing I've heard in a long time.

[AnnieMaeArt]

Neighbor: So, what kind of fruit do you grow?
Sam van Aken: *Yes*

[EDDIEROSSI]

My great uncle from Italy used to do this . I watched him and couldn’t believe a tree could grow two different fruits. This is amazing

[sonalichhatait]

High level patience, effort, care and overall talent. 🌚

[lukecalumlyonwrath]

This was probably his most fruitful endeavor.

[michaelbenzyljurada]

With that tree in our backyard i could make fruitsalad...😂

[hithashetty]

People would admire this project as "Oh, that tree has forty different variety of fruits... That's unbelievable". But me as a art lover... I can't believe how he came up with such creative idea! That's soo much better than using paints and a blank canvas... He mastered the Art of nature and that's wonderful!