NAFEX (North American Fruit Explorers) email list is the "dean" of temperate climate fruit & nut lists. The collective wisdom assembled there has to be literally in the 100s of years. Tho many of the folks on the list are old school growers & still use pesticides, every one of them has spent years trialing & experimenting with different varieties in the complete range of USDA zones. Fairly high volume list, strong community. Typically you will get an answer to a newbie question within a couple hours.
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/nafex
Edible Landscape
from the list description:
"There are hundreds of different plants that can fulfill any landscape plant need, and at the same time produce fruits, nuts, berries, shoots, Leaves and other food byproducts. Some are virtually maintenance free, especially native fruits such as the paw paw, persimmon, and many varieties of nuts and berries. There are edible ground covers and edible pine nuts. Wild life will want to share in the bounty! It can be an insurance plan for times of rising food costs or scarcity. It shouldn't be hard to see the many benefits of planting food bearing plants."
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EdibleLandscape/
Rarefruit · Rare Fruit List
"A list for people who research, grow and love rare fruit. Focus on tropical/subtropical fruits: their identification, botany, preservation, and culture. "
