Tree of 40 Fruit
The Tree of 40 Fruit is an ongoing series of unique hybridized fruit trees by
contemporary artist Sam Van Aken. Each Tree of 40 Fruit is a single fruit tree
that grows over 40 different types of stone fruit including peaches, plums,
apricots, nectarines, and cherries. Sculpted through the process of grafting, the
Tree of 40 Fruit blossom in variegated tones of pink, crimson and white in spring,
and in summer bear a multitude of different fruit. Primarily composed of native
and antique varieties the Tree of 40 Fruit are a form of conversation, preserving
heirloom stone fruit varieties that are not commercially available.
As a symbolic number found throughout western religion, culture, and even
within government, the number 40 symbolizes the infinite, a bounty that is
beyond calculation. Like the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden, these trees are a
potential; they are the beginning of a narrative that transforms the site they are
located in. The far-reaching implications of these sculptures include issues of
genetic engineering, biodiversity versus food monoculture, and, ultimately, the
symbiosis of humankind’s relation to nature. As an allegorical sculpture Van
Aken’s Trees of 40 Fruit begin a dialogue.
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Through an expansive approach that incorporates new technology and traditional modes
of art making Sam Van Aken’s work combines such genres as sculpture, sound, video,
and performance. Taking place in lived experience, through such forms as radio hoaxes,
a Hollywood film carried out into the real, a tree that grows 40 different types of fruit, and
a hole created in the winter skies over New York, his work is an intervention in public
and social space that transforms cultural configurations, the common sense of practices,
and the natural order of things to deliver one to a place of unknowing where the very
possibility of openness and change occur.
Born in Reading Pennsylvania, Sam Van Aken’s work has been exhibited nationally and
internationally receiving numerous awards including the Joan Mitchell Foundation
Painters and Sculptors Grant; the Creative Capital Grant in Emerging Fields; the United
States Information Agency; and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. He is
an associate professor in the Art Department at Syracuse University.
Cultivars
There are hundreds if not thousands of individual stone fruit varieties or cultivars
within the family of stone fruits including peach, plum, apricot, nectarine, cherry,
and almond. Within each of these species of fruit there is extraordinary variation
in color of blossom, bloom time, leaf pattern, fruit size, form, color, texture, and
taste. Due to the similarity of their chromosomal structure it is possible to “graft”
these varieties together to form a single tree.
The Grafting Process
The Trees of 40 Fruits are developed through the process of chip grafting. In
February each year, scions are collected throughout central New York and
whenever possible from trees and orchards in the region where the tree has
been planted. The scions are 12-18” sections of the current seasons growth and
are collected from different cultivars (the types and varieties of stone fruits). Once
the budstock are collected they are stored until spring when they are “top
worked” on to the tree. This is done by chip grafting, slicing the small buds from
the budstock and inserting them into equally sized chips removed from the
branches of the interstock. 3-4 bud chip grafts are performed on each branch.
The buds then heal to the branches and then emerge as new growth.
Design
Each tree is composed of three essential parts: the rootstock, the interstock,
which forms the trunk or central leader of the tree, and finally the lateral branches
from which the fruit grows. The process of developing a tree begins by selecting
a rootstock that will determines the size of the tree and the climate that the tree
will be able to grow in. Each tree begins after one year of growth, when the
rootstock is cut 3-4 inches above the soil line and the interstock is grafted to it.
The interstock is selected for its hardiness and strength. For the Trees of 40
Fruit, the interstock is either a European or Asian Plum variety that
The Tree of 40 Fruit are pruned to develop an open center “vase” shape, typical
of most fruit trees.
Apricots
Manchurian
Tomcot
Chinese/Mormon (2010 stock)
Tilton
Harogem
Harlayne
Earligold
Moorpark
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Bloom Order Chart
White-pink flowers/Small yellow-red fruit /Ripens mid-Summer (2-3 yrs after planting)
Fragrant pink blooms/Long blooming period (3 weeks)/Large orange fruit/Ripens in early-Summer (earliest to ripen)
Pink-white blooms (cold/frost hardy)/Small-medium, yellow-orange fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Fragrant pink blooms/Medium orange fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Fragrant pink blooms/Medium bright orange-red fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Pinkish/white blooms/Medium orange-blush fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Fragrant white blooms (produce the most blooms)/Large golden fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Fragrant white blooms/Large orange-red fruit/Ripens late early to mid-Summer
Red Plums
(Asian/Japanese)
Golden Nectar
Sprite
Early Golden
Kaga
Hollywood
Beauty
Emerald Beauty
Methley (2010 stock)
Satsuma
Black Amber (2010 stock)
Santa Rosa
Oblinaja
Shiro
Delight
Vanier (2010 stock)
Fortune (2010 stock)
Alderman
Superior
Bloom Order Chart
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White blooms/Large yellow fruit
Pink/white blooms
Large white blooms/Large red-blush fruit/Ripens in mid-Summer
Bright pink blooms/Small red fruit (very sweet)/Ripens mid-Summer
Light pink blooms/Large reddish-purple fruit/Ripens early to mid-Summer
White blooms/Medium bright red fruit/Ripens early-Summer
White blooms/Light green fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Delicate white blooms/Medium-large reddish fruit/Ripens early-Summer
Pink/white blooms/Large dark-red fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Rose/mauve blooms/Large black-red fruit/Ripens by mid to late-Summer
White blooms/Ripens early-Summer
Purple-pink-white blooms/Medium red fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
White blooms/Large yellow fruit/Ripens mid to late-Summer
White blooms
Fragrant white blooms/Medium bluish-red fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Pink blooms/Large bright red fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Large white blooms/Large dark red fruit/Ripens mid-Summer (about 1 year after planting)
White blooms/Large red blush fruit/Ripens mid to late-Summer
Peaches
Carolina Belle (2010 stock)
Klondike White (2010 stock)
Sugar Giant (2010 stock)
Saturn
Canadian Harmony
Raritan Rose (2010 stock)
Contender (2010 stock)
Cresthaven
Reliance (2010 stock)
Red Star (2010 stock)
Redhaven
Harrow Diamond (2010 stock)
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Bloom Order Chart
Pink blooms/Medium-large ovate pinkish-red fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Pink blooms/Large pink-red fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Pink blooms/Large ovate purplish-red fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Bright pink blooms/Small whitish-yellow donut fruit/Ripens early-Summer
Pink & white blooms/Medium-large yellow fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Fragrant pink & white blooms/Medium-large red streaked fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Pink blooms/Medium-large red-orange fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Pink blooms/Reddish-yellow fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Pink blooms/Yellow fruit with red hues/Ripens early-Summer
Dark pink blooms/Large fruit/Ripens early-Summer
Fragrant pink blooms/Large golden red fruit/Ripens early-Summer (long harvest season)
Pink blooms/Red blush fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Peaches
Garnett Beauty (2010 stock)
Intrepid (2010 stock)
Hale
Loring
Madison (2010 stock)
Veteran (2010 stock)
Rising Star (2010 stock)
China Pearl (2010 stock)
Tangos II (2010 stock)
Galaxy (2010 stock)
Bloom Order Chart
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Nectarines
Rose Princess
Redbud
Fantasia (2010 stock)
Independence
Nectared
Bloom Order Chart
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European Plums
Valor
Kuban Comet
Early Laxton
Bavay Gage
Coes Golden
Rosy Gage (2010 stock)
Long John
Prune d Ente 707
Purple Gage
Victoria
Reine Claude Doree
Oullins Gage (2010 stock)
President (2010 stock)
Blues Jam
Ersinger
G Romanesc
Cambridge
Pozegaca
Imp. Epineuse
Jubileum
Kirke’s Blue
Seneca
Stanley
Italian
Fragrant pink/white blooms/Medium fruit
Pink blooms/Medium yellow fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Pink blooms/Large golden skinned fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Fragrant white bloom/Large yellow fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Pink & white blooms/Medium-sized golden fruit/Ripens mid-Summer (heavy bearing)
Pink blooms/Medium yellow fruit
Pink blooms/Medium bright red fruit/Ripens early-Summer
White-pink blooms/Very large fruit
Bright pink blooms/Creamy green-skinned fruit/Ripens mid to late-Summer
Large pink blooms/Large blush red fruit/Ripens early-Summer
Fragrant purplish-pink blooms/Large red fruit/Ripens in mid-Summer
Red blooms/Medium dark red fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Pink blooms/Large, egg-shaped red fruit/Ripens in mid-Summer
Pink blooms/Sweet/juicy fruit/Ripens in early-Summer (bears 3-5 years after planting)
Pink blooms/Firm yellow fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Bloom Order Chart
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Fragrant white blooms/Large violet-blue fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Full bloom/Medium yellow teardrop-shaped fruit/Ripens early-Summer
White blooms/Pinkish-orange fruit dotted with rose & violet/Ripens by mid-Summer
White blooms/Medium green-yellow fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Large yellow fruit/Ripens mid-Summer
Bright pink blooms/Yellow-green to pink-rose skinned fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Large elongated blue fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Large very sweet violet-red fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Medium bright purple fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Large oval pink fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Small yellow-green fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Large yellow fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Pink-white blooms/Large blue fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Pink-white blooms/Small dark blue fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Medium blue oblong fruit/Ripens early-Summer
Full bloom/Medium blue fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Medium yellow-green fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Small to medium blue/black fruit
White blooms/Large purple-red fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms
Pink-white blooms/Large dark blue fruit
Large white blooms/Large reddish-purple fruit
White blooms/Medium dark-blue fruit/Ripens late-Summer
Large white blooms/Large purple fruit/Ripens late-Summer
European Plums
Bloom Order Chart
Geneva Mirabell (2010 stock)
Reine de Mirabelle
Green Gage
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Large white blooms/Small yellow fruit with slight pink blush (very sweet)/Ripens mid-Summer
Large white blooms/Medium sweet yellow fruit/Ripens late-Summer
White blooms/Green fruit with freckles (NOT ATTRACTIVE)/Great flavor/Ripens mid-Summer
Cherries
New Yorker (2010 stock)
Emperor Francis
Ranier (2010 stock)
Hartland
Bing
Early Burlat
Stella
Tehranivee
Lapins (2010 stock)
Vandalay
Sweet Heart (2010 stock)
Kristin
White Gold
Angela
Black Gold
Hudson
Kordia
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Bloom Order Chart
Deep pink blooms
Large white-pink blooms/Large dark-red fruit (best sweet cherry)/Ripen early to mid-Summer
Large white blooms/Yellow-red large fruit (very sweet)/Ripens early to mid-Summer
Pink blooms/Large dark red fruit (sweet and most flavorful)/Ripens mid-Summer
White blooms/Very large dark red fruit (very sweet and rich)/Ripens early-Summer
White blooms/Large dark red fruit (sweet)
White blooms/Small dark red fruit (sweet)/Ripens in early-Summer
Large white blooms/Large black-red fruit (very sweet)/Ripens mid-Summer
Large pink blooms/Large dark-red fruit (very juicy)/Ripens mid-Summer
Pink blooms/Large black fruit (sweet)/Ripens mid to late-Summer
Pink/white blooms/Large bright red fruit/Ripens in mid to late-Summer
Large pink blooms/Large black fruit (sweet and very hardy)/Ripens mid-Summer
Large white-pink blooms/Large red blush fruit (sweet)/Ripens early to mid-Summer
White blooms/Medium to large black fruit (sweet)/Ripens late-Summer
Large white blooms/Large dark red fruit (sweet)/Ripens early to mid-Summer
Large pink blooms/Medium dark red fruit (sweet)/Ripens late-Summer
Large white blooms/Large black cherry (sweet)
Late-Winter/Early-Spring
Early-Spring
Mid-Spring
Late-Spring
Usual order of bloom:
Apricots
Japanese Plums
Peaches
Nectarines
European Plums
Cherries
Blossom
By documenting the time of blossom for each of the different fruit varieties, the
trees are then grafted/sculpted in such a way that they continuously blossom for
over a month each spring.
Circles Indicate Sites where Tree of 40 Fruit is Located
USDA Grow Zones
New Edens
Sam Van Aken
Armory Show 2011
Pier 94/Booth 949 Twelfth Avenue at 55th St
March 3-March 6, 2011
Opening Hours:
Thursday, March 3-Saturday March 5: Noon to 8:00 PM
Sunday, March 6: Noon to 7:00 PM
The Feldman Gallery will exhibit a solo installation by Sam Van Aken entitled New
Edens. An orchard of trees with genetically altered properties will be the main feature
of the booth. As designed and grafted by the artist, the trunks and leader branches
identify the trees as peach, plum, cherry, nectarine, and apricot, respectively, but each
tree has the capacity to simultaneously grow all five fruits. As work in progress, one
can see the five different blossoms on each tree. Alongside the orchard will be
synthetic mutations of grafted fruits which form strange and provocative hybrids. A
display stand will have hybrid vegetable seed starters in small pots, and on the walls
will be large digital prints composed from mixed seed packets, part of the artist’s raw
material.
The far-reaching implication of these sculptures include issues of genetic engineering,
biodiversity versus food monoculture, and, ultimately, the symbiosis of humankind’s
relation to nature. Far from being the passive recipients of foodstuffs as we go about
our daily lives of shopping and eating, we are implicated in the active role of
participating in the modern technology of food growth and distribution.
Combining sophisticated technology with traditional modes of art-making, Van Aken’s
projects cross boundaries between artistic genres, including performance, installation,
video, photography, and sculpture. With each body of work, he selects practices and
new perspectives that provide a kinesthetic perception of objects and a visceral
charge. Sharon Corwin has written in Currents 2 (Colby College Museum of Art):
There is a blatant sexuality to the hybrids, especially evident in the combination of an
apple and a strawberry. And yet while Van Aken’s mutant fruit might elicit laughter, it is
also quite horrifying in the context of our genetically modified world.
Sam Van Aken is newly represented by the Feldman Gallery, His sculpture, “oh my
god” (2006), which presents a monumental wall constructed from box stereo speakers
that emit sound clips of the eponymous phrase, ranging, ranging from the voice of
Homer Simpson to witnesses to 9/11, was included in two recent group shows
organized by the gallery in New York and in Miami: En-Garde II: omg and En-Garde.
Robert Shuster, writing in The Village Voice, described that work as brilliantly satirizing
our sensationalistic culture. Sam Van Aken has exhibited his work nationally and
internationally and has received numerous awards including Joan Mitchell Foundation
Painters and Sculptors Grant, the Creative Capital Grant in Emerging Fields and
grants from the United States Information Agency and the Andy Warhol Foundation for
the Visual Arts. He is currently an Associate Professor and the Sculpture Program
Director at Syracuse University.