if you can believe it, this papaya tree grew in a rather big planter. papayas don't usually branch out, they have leaves that grow in spiral arrangements around the trunk. where i grew up papayas are rather big, not like the puny ones you see for sale in the groceries around the big cities in america. so that when a woman's bosom is described, it is always related to the size of the papaya.
an interesting fact i just learned today: "Papaya plants grow in three sexes: male, female, and hermaphrodite. The male produces only pollen, never fruit. The female will produce small, inedible fruits unless pollinated. The hermaphrodite can self-pollinate since its flowers contain both male stamens and female ovaries. Almost all commercial papaya orchards contain only hermaphrodites."
thank you for your kind visits and comments; know that they are truly appreciated.
Interesting. I hope they keep variety in the commercial plants because I know they don't with bananas and then whole species of cloned plants are wiped out.
@francoise - no, not the least bit interested in that puny papaya. however, i can't wait to get to manila and partake all i can of the huge papaya fruits that are in abundance there. like really big, as big as dolly parton's :-D
