Looks nice, unusually large leaves. I would say for a tree that old $80 was a real good deal!
Oscar
The leaves are large because it's a larger leaved form of the S. dulcificum, and being grown in about 25 percent shade in a greenhouse....leaves can be only 1/3 of this size on the same plants in the same green house...just depends on the genetics i guess.
This variety I should mention, is of the firmer fleshed, and older generation of miracle fruit trees introduced to FL (I believe)...the flesh is more tart, fruit are more round, less shiny, firetruck red.
the newer variety, has large football shaped fruits, with silky flesh, mild not acidic, with very dark crimson red (almost purple red), very shiny, and nice fruit....pulp not as easily removed from seed.
Fruits can get huge! Although the largest I've grown (my self proclaimed world record picture I posted on another thread) was of the Firetruck red/round/acid/firm fleshed type above...
Mike knew it to...i mailed him a copy of bill whitmans book as a thanks, and told him I'd give him as many airlayers as he wanted...He died last year, and I'm sad that his collection may be dying as well...he was selling off all of his really unusual and huge potted plants, all fruit trees.
I bought up some, but regret not buying others...like his huge canistel, and M.glazioviana
Most of all I regret never making the article (for a magazine, book, blog or whatever) about how awesome this man was, and what he achieved, without the same respect that BIll whitman got, but he surely deserved as much or more in my opinion...he was a true pioneer...
I still intend to contact his daughter and put together a nice story about him in my book im writing (one of many)
Also, I will always keep the tree he sold me, at it's name of course is, "Mike Henderson" (I name some of my trees...only certain ones though)
I will keep the group posted when I find out more info about what happened to his collection.
I'm going to miss him, but he sure did leave a lasting legacy and a good impression amongst many people...so I'd say his life was a real success story!
Sincerely,
Adam
