Artificial tree

An artificial tree comprising:

• a rigid central trunk member having a base portion;
• a plurality of main branches each having a rigid support member with top and bottom portions and a number of clusters of sub-branches disposed along a length of said support member;
• said trunk member and said top portions of said main branches including means to removably mount said main branches to said central trunk member, said means to removably mount said main branches to said central trunk member being suitable to support said top portion of each main branch a first predetermined perpendicular distance from a vertical longitudinal axis of said central trunk member;
• means to support said bottom portions of said main branches a second predetermined perpendicular distance from said vertical longitudinal axis of said central trunk member, said second predetermined distance being greater than said first predetermined distance such that, when mounted to said central member, said main branches are aligned downwardly and outwardly;
• wherein each main branch includes a set of fiber optic conduits, each conduit having a first end portion terminating in one of said clusters of sub-branches, having an intermediate portion extending along said length of said support member of said main branch, and having a second end portion;
• a source of light is connected to said central trunk member, said source of light being enclosed in an opaque enclosure;
• said opaque enclosure having a number of openings suitable to permit the passage of light therethrough, said source of light being suitable to project light through said openings in said opaque enclosure;
• and
• fiber optic conduit retainers suitable to releasably retain said second end portions of said sets of fiber optic conduits in alignment with said openings in said opaque enclosure to expose said second end portions of said sets of fiber optic conduits to light emitted from said source of light.