I remember that being one of the trees at Four Fillies Farm formerly owned and cultivated by now deceased Frank Smathers. I think I may have also had the fruit....but at this point, I'd be lying if I said I remembered any details about it. If they do not have it at Fairchild, they might have it at the Broward Rare Fruit and Vegetable Council property. I was just talking to Eric LaBrum yesterday when he stopped by my office. He was the former plant procurer/manager and after a feew years away from the club, is starting to get back involved. He said they have 94 varieties out there now. There's a chance that could be one of them. I'll try to see if I can find out. I want to say that we once had budwood for this variety that another friend grafted onto his multi-grafted mango tree. I am pretty sure that he no longer has it. There was a time when Crafton was giving out budwood on this and many other varieties. However, I do not know the present contact info for Crafton. You might also check with Zill's High Performance Plants through one of their retail outlets in Palm Beach or Broward Counties. Check with Jeff Hagen through this Forum.....he can check this out for you.

Harry

Franchelle is not on the Broward Rare Fruit Council's List and Zill's doesn't propagate it. I have Crafton's contact info from a couple years back, but not sure if he's at the same residence. Contact me for details.

Jeff

I hear Crafton was in Ecuador on a project as of a month ago. My sources could not be more up to date than that. When I asked who might know his present contact info, I was told to try Maurice Kong (Rare Fruit Council in Miami). Also, I did verify that my friend once had it (Franchelle), but no longer has it. He thought that we might have gotten it from the Kampong. I still think it was the Smather's place, but the Kampong might be another shot at finding it. I tried to reach Eric LeBrum but the cell number I had was now someone else's. I'll keep my eyes open and let you know when and if I find out more.

Harry

Brad,
I see Crafton very often when he is not traveling all over the world. We have exchanged a couple plants and we belong to the same fruit club, Bonita Fruit Club. Send me an email and I will give you his current phone number. bertonsilva@hotmail.com

Thank you everyone for your help. Thanks berto. (email sent). Thanks Jeff. Thanks Harry for making those different attempts for me. I contacted Zill's and they don't have the Franchelle. Dr Campbell informed me that the Franchelle tree is no longer at the Four Fillies Farm. In fact, he wasn't interested in adding the Franchelle to the Fairchild collection, so it is not there either.

The search continues...

Wow. 8 years ago you had this question. Probably you've found the answer to your question but in you haven't. John Paynter, in Bokeelia is the answer to your your question! He has an incredidible place to visit!! I begged him for four years to graft me one of these jewels called Franchell (Yes, named after Frank Smathers and his wife Michelle... husband combined their names to name this mango). His Franchelles are right there close to his house and are the highlight of mango season at his place! They are so juicy and I find different layers of flavors and it finishes up with like a mango crush next to the peeling that I loved to spoon out or rake my teeth across. Juice running all down your arms, pretty big, beautiful, WONDERFUL summer treat of a mango. You sample some of his other interesting novelty mango but you always end up saying, "Let me get a more of Franchelles before I go! you end up with 8-10 of them. And in his words of the tree, "Oh they fruit themselves to death!!" He has to prop them up and the still break branches from the load of these beautiful, beautiful mangoes. I just LOOOOVE THEM. I asked why you're the only one with this mango and I told him that the guys around the corner from you (Steve & Jessie from Fruitscapes) act like they're afraid to talk you about sharing this gem? He had a heart about it and gave them some budwood. They grafted it and Steve said they set the baby trees out too late or something and the cold killed them in their field. An incredible waste!!!! I had offered John Paynter $100 apiece if he would graft me two of them. After three years he did that too but ended up giving them I think he said to sister or relative visiting. BUT I'M STILL LOOKING FOR IT!! Somehow, I still hope to get one or two. Needless to say it is one of my top two favorite mangoes!! Steve at Fruitscapes does not see the big deal I rave about it and says it just tastes like a juicy Tommy Atkins. Yeah sort of. But it's just got so much other hard to explain STUFF going on about. It is an all-around fun and totally enjoyable mango. His customers buy that one the most and he has sooo many!

SO if you get one, tell John Paynter to hold one or two for me! Tel him I'm "the only black guy he knows in Sarasota," a running joke we have. Look him up and maybe you can reach him concerning letting one of these babies go out to some of us. Oh yeah. He is a fun guy but he now calls his Franchelles his "Exclusives!!!!!!!" He said he reached out one time with Jessie and Steve but that's it. These Franchelles kind of makes his famous or something and he will repeat it: "These are my exclusives!!!!!" Him and his mom will sell you all the fruit you want but don't go near the trees! I take a trip there once or twice to get these and visit around and maybe one day something will give and let me have a tree.