scottfsmith

scottfsmith

I am in Maryland zone 7A. I have a backyard orchard of about a third an acre. I trialed a great many fruits; here are the ones I am calling “keepers” for me. To be a keeper they have to be relatively bulletproof compared to other varieties, taste excellent, be unique, store well, spread out the harvest, etc.

Plum: Satsuma, Lavina, Shiro, Laroda, Weeping Santa Rosa, Elephant Heart, Emerald Beaut, Flavor King
Euro Plum: Bavays Green Gage, French Petite
Peach/Nect: Rio Oso Gem, Oldmixon Free, Kaweah, Red Baron, Nectar, Baby Crawford, Kit Donnell, Clayton, Sanguine Tardeva, Gold Dust, Sunglo, Flavortop, Freckled Face, Arctic Glo.
Sour Cherry: Montmorency
Sweet Cherry: White Gold, Black Tartarian, Regina
Apricot: Ilona, Florilege, Tomcot, Hoyt Montrose
Apple: Abbondanza, Swayzie, Hooples Antique Gold, Reine des Reinettes, Kidds Orange Red, Hawaii, Reinette Clochard, Suncrisp, Rubinette, Golden Nugget, Rambour d’Hiver, Katharine, Black Limbertwig, Mutsu, Brushy Mountain Limbertwig
Cider apple: Harrison, Yates
Pear: Dana Hovey, Seckel, Urbaniste, Magness, Aurora, Fondante des Moulins-Lille
Asian Pear: Drippin Honey, Kosui, Hosui, Yalu Fragrant pear
Quince: Dunlop (my own variety)
Jujube: Honey Jar, Bok Jo
Persimmon: Chocolate, Hachiya, Rojo Brilliante, 20th Century
Fig: Any reasonably hardy fig is good
Pawpaw: Most varieties are similar and good, Wabash might be my favorite
Pomegranate: none (winter dieback/unproductive/rot)
Kiwi: Soreli chinensis, HongYang chinensis, Anna hardy.
Muscadine: Sugargate, Black Beauty, Supreme, Darlene
Pecan: Kanza, Caddo
Filbert/Hazel: Yamhill, Jefferson, Theta
Mulberry: Illinois Everbearing, Kokuso

Here are some also may belong on the above list (still under trial):
Plum: Mariposa
Sweet Cherry: Attika
Apricot: Blenheim, Early Blush
Apple: Grimes Golden, Sweet 16, Esopus Spitzenberg
Cider apple: Gilpin, Campfield, Gnarled Chapman
Pear: Josephine des Malines, Louis Bonne des Avranches
Jujube: Black Sea