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, 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, Attika, Regina
Apricot: Ilona, Florilege, Tomcot, Hoyt Montrose
Apple: Abbondanza, Swayzie, Hooples Antique Gold, Reine des Reinettes, Kidds Orange Red, Sweet 16, Hawaii, Grimes Golden, 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, Yulu 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
Apricot: Early Blush
Apple: Esopus Spitzenberg
Cider apple: Gilpin, Campfield
Pear: Josephine des Malines, Louis Bonne des Avranches
Jujube: Black Sea