A popular dark red dessert apple. Heavy cropper and easy to grow.
Origin: Canada,
1926
Pollination: Spartan is self-fertile and a pollinator is not necessary for producing a crop.
Pollination partners
We are now closed for the season. Ordering for winter 2024/25 will be enabled from Wednesday 1st May 2024.
History and description of Spartan
Raised in 1926 from McIntosh x Yellow Newtown Pippin by R C Palmer at the Dominion Experiment Station, British Columbia, Canada. Introduced in 1936. An important commercial variety grown in North America and elsewhere. Grown on a small scale in the UK.
Medium sized, round-conical fruit. Dark maroon flush over a pale yellow skin. White, crisp, juicy flesh. Sweet but with some acidity. Vinous flavour. Needs to be left on the tree for as long as possible for the flavour to develop. Keeps well but flavour fades in storage.
Moderately vigorous, free spurring tree. Heavy cropper requiring thinning to avoid small fruit. Resistant to scab and mildew but rather prone to canker.
Characteristics of Spartan apple trees
Use
Dessert
Colour
Red
Flavour
Vinous
Fruit size
Medium
Picking time
Early Oct
Season of use
Nov-Jan
Tree vigour
Moderate
Tree habit
Upright-spreading
Fruit-bearing
Spur-bearer
Cropping
Heavy
Disease resistance
Canker - Very susceptible Scab - Resistant Mildew - Very resistant