In the heart of Philadelphia, Temple University has become home to a unique living artwork: the Tree of 40 Fruits. Created by Sam Van Aken, a contemporary artist known for blending horticulture ...

As far as the “Tree of 40 Fruit,” it generally takes one year to know if the graft has succeeded. Then, it will take another two to three years to know if it produces fruit.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Plums, peaches, nectarines and cherries all grow on just one of Sam Van Aken’s fruit trees. The trees blossom in a riot of red, white and pink each spring.

Van Aken's first 40-fruit tree has been located for the past four years on the edge of a campus green. On a recent broiling summer day, Van Aken plucked a few yellow plums the size of golf balls ...