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TreesFruit Edible

Malus domestica 'Spartan' (D)

apple 'Spartan'

An upright, spreading tree which is covered in pure white, cup-shaped flowers in mid- and late spring, followed by crisp, juicy, dark red, dessert apples that can be harvested in early October. It's one of the best red-skinned varieties and the fruit will keep well for several months if they are stored correctly. Pollination group 3: requires cross-pollination from another apple tree

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Ultimate height

4–8 metres

Time to ultimate height

5–10 years

Ultimate spread

4–8 metres

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

North–facing or South–facing or East–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Rosaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright, Spreading branched
Genus: Malus are small to medium-sized deciduous trees with showy flowers in spring and ornamental or edible fruit in autumn; some have good autumn foliage colour
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Prefers fertile soil conditions. The height will depend on the rootstock and training method. Suitable for all training forms, including espalier and fan-trained. Keep a clear area around the trunk of at least 60cm radius. Fruit thinning may be required. For more details see apple cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by grafting in midwinter or chip budding in late summer on clonal rootstock for fruit. The rootstock will largely determine the vigour of the tree. Fruit grown from pips will not resemble the parent

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Wildlife gardens
Edible fruit

Pruning

Prune according to chosen training method. See apple pruning

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, including woolly aphid and rosy apple aphid, fruit tree red spider mite, codling moth and other caterpillars

Diseases

May be susceptible to apple canker, apple scab, blossom wilt, brown rot, fireblight, honey fungus and powdery mildews

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