I actually did post an update here. The consensus is that the Whitman Farms Gerardis are the real deal.
As chance would have it, I happened to make an effort to track the progress of one of my Gerardis over time. Below is a photo timeline of one of my Gerardis, planted in the late fall of 2023.
Planting in October 2023:
April 2024 (note the developing fruit despite just being a whip):
Deer got to it a few weeks later and ate all the leaves that weren’t protected, so it had to start over:
By midsummer 2024, it had more than recovered:
August 2024:
Late November, 2024:
January 2025:
Swelling buds in late March, 2025:
Almost fully leafed out a month later (April 2025):
First week of May, 2025 (note developing fruit):
Most recent pic:
It has grown out from its scruddy little cage, but the deer check on it every week and prune what they can reach. Mulberry trees are a great way to summon deer, in case you want some.
I haven’t been able to try any of the fruit yet because I have a young nephew who is at least as diligent as the deer, and has opposable thumbs. He likes them, though. Based on what @TNHunter has reported, it sounds like the fruit may get better and better as the tree gets more established.