The comprehensive resource for apples and orchards

Spartan apple

Attractive, crunchy, sweet, easy to grow, and with the characteristic delicate wine-like "vinous" flavor of the McIntosh family of apples.

Spartan photo tape

Spartan is a small sweet apple, and a great favourite with children. It is very much a "McIntosh" style apple, bright crimson skin and whiter-than-white flesh. We leave ours on the tree as long as possible, until they are crimson all over, as this allows the flavour to develop. Straight from the tree the flesh is very crisp and juicy, but it softens a bit within a week or so of picking - although remaining juicy.  This is also a good variety for juicing - the juice colour is not especially remarkable but the flavour is sweet and pleasant.  Spartan is an excellent garden apple, being easy to grow, resistant to scab, fairly resistant to mildew, and it crops very reliably - and by growing your own you can enjoy Spartan at its best, straight from the tree.  However it can be prone to canker in wetter regions.

Spartan is a historically interesting apple, being an early example of a variety developed in a formal scientific breeding programme in Canada. It was raised at the Canadian Apple Research Station in Summerland, British Columbia, in the 1920s, and the mother variety is McIntosh (of course).  There is some uncertainty over the pollen parent, it is usually thought to be Newtown Pippin.

Spartan is also one of the few North American apple varieties that can be grown successfully throughout the UK, where it has long been a popular garden apple variety.

If you only have space for one of the McIntosh-style apple varieties in your garden orchard, Spartan is a good choice - straight from the tree on a cold autumn morning, the vinous sugar-rush is hard to beat!

Last updated 08 Jan 2012.

Summary

  • Species: Malus domestica
  • Parentage: McIntosh x Newtown Pippin (?)
  • Origin: Canada
  • Introduced: 1926
  • Developed by: R. C. Palmer, Summerland Research Station, BC
  • Orange Pippin Cultivar ID: 105800

Identification

  • Fruit colour: Red Becomes purple / maroon when fully ripe.
  • Flesh colour: White
  • Fruit size: Small
  • Bultitude apple group: 6. Red flushed, smooth, sweet

Using

  • Good for eating fresh
  • Good for juice
  • Flavour quality: Good
  • Flavour style: Sweeter
  • Ripening period: Late season
  • Use / keeping: 1 week

Growing

  • Cropping: Heavy
  • Flowering group: 3
  • Fertility: Partially self-fertile Effectively self-fertile, but crops better with a polllinator.
  • Triploid: No
  • Good pollinator: Yes
  • Vigour: Average growth
  • Gardening skill: Very easy
  • General disease resistance: Average

Climate

  • Suitable for warm climates
  • Suitable for temperate climates
  • Suitable for N. England?: Yes

Disease resistance

  • Scab  - Some resistance
  • Mildew  - Some resistance
  • Fireblight  - Some resistance
  • Bacterial canker  Pseudomonas syringae  - Some susceptibility

Relationships to other varieties

Parents and other ancestors of this variety:

Siblings of this variety (same parentage):

  • Empire - Spartan and Empire are half-brothers

Spartan identification photos from official fruit collections


UK National Fruit Collection

©Crown Copyright more >
UK National Fruit Collection

Spartan identification photos from website visitors


Spartan apples - just picked, late October 2008 tape


Spartan apples - just picked, late October 2008


Rate this variety for flavor

Current rating: 3 out of 5. Total votes cast: 9
 

Visitor comments

(Use the form at the bottom to add your own comments about this variety)

01 Dec 2011 BmckechnieFIFE, United Kingdom
I have just eaten one of the tastiest apples out of a Sainsbury family pack, I never thought that I would be so interested to find out what type of apple it was . The Spartan now has my vote for a snack or an addition to a ploughman's lunch.
22 Oct 2011 Fritz DygertOREGON, United States
We just bought our tree last week and planted it. Hopefully next year it will bear fruit.
20 Oct 2011 N. BuckCAMBRIDGESHIRE, United Kingdom
My Spartan remain very healthy and completely pest and disease-free (Eastern UK) despite the claims that they are supposed to be prone to canker or other diseases - but perhaps that will come as the trees age. The tree itself is about medium vigour or perhaps slightly less than medium if allowed to crop heavily at a young age - which can happen because it is quite precocious and fertile. The fruit is remarkably free from pest or fungal damage, although if the skin (which is quite thick and has a yeasty "bloom") is broken, the fruits succumb surprisingly quickly to brown rot. With us having an unusually warm spring followed by an unusually cool summer, the fruits have been of inferior quality this year; developing the notorious "metallic" and "woody" taste (woody as in the taste when you lick your ice-lolly stick) which can happen occasionally. In most years, the Spartan fruit produced here is good, and palatable to most people; fairly sweet and juicy, with hints of melon and strawberry. Fruit tends to lose its quality after a few months of storage - tasting fermented and losing its texture, although, like Red Delicious, can still look excellent on the outside.
05 Oct 2009 Gina SherwoodUnited Kingdom
I purchased some of these the other day from a farmers market, who come to our local town once a month. This is the first time that I have tried them and they were recommended and I must admit they were absolutely gorgeous.
23 Aug 2009 Carole GedneyUnited Kingdom
I have a family apple tree where Spartan is the dominant apple. It is usually a prolific flowerer/fruiter with the odd year off for recuperation. Although the apple is good, every year I lose most of the crop due to a worm parasite which seems to burrow into virtually evey apple on the tree. For this reason, most of the apples end up in pies or discarded.
16 Mar 2009 CraigVANCOUVER, Canada
My neighbour has one in his garden and it fruits well and is resistent to the typical Pacific Northwest crop of diseases. Tastey too.
06 Oct 2008 Geoff HowleCREWE, United Kingdom
Have 4 spartan in my garden. Oldest one is now 5 years,fruiting well,cover with netting to prevent attacks by birds,(they are not having MY spartan)!!!!! What a great apple,picked one or two this morning for eating latter in day.Question, Do they store?
30 May 2008 LeeHONOLULU, United States
ALOHA ~~ EXCELLENT APPLE. RAISED IN RHODE ISLAND, OLDEST OF SIX, ONE OF MANY FAMILY TRADITIONS WAS THE HAPPY WEEKEND TREK TO THE RI COUNTRYSIDE FOR A BUSHEL OF McINTOSH APPLES. LIVING IN HONOLULU NOW FOR 20 YRS, SPARTANS ARE REALLY THE CLOSEST I'VE EVER GOTTEN TO THE TASTE OF MY BELOVED McINTOSH.
17 Jan 2008 LindaTROON AYRSHIRE, SCOTLAND, United Kingdom
Inherited this apple tree and over the years it has yielded a lot of fruit - never tasted an apple so good - bumper crop this year so brought apples into work - everyone raved about the taste,colour,texture etc yummee OP: Yes, this is an easy apple to grow, and great straight from the tree.
27 Nov 2007 Bea MuirSEQUIM, WA. USA, United States
This apple has the best taste for cooking or eating and I would like to grow my own tree's, but cannot find where to buy them in Clallam County?
02 Nov 2007 JennyCO. DURHAM, United States
We like spartans very much but it seems to be a very short season. We've found them in Waitrose and Sainsbury's. Is it possible to buy a box from an English grower? OP: Yes, Spartans are great straight from the tree, but don't really keep.
27 Oct 2007 RobiCAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
Every year we pick apples at a friend's orchard, but we never knew what they were until we had them identified at the apple day at the botanical gardens last week end. The ones we love, aka "the purple ones", as my children call them, were identified as Spartan, but they are almost plum colour, with white flesh tinted pink in places, and not as squashed in shape as the one in your photo. Nothing like it really...anyway we absolutely adore them, eat them every day and have made quite a lot of juice. The others, which we also like but not as much, are Queen cox and Crispin Mutsu - these were probably ready a bit earlier and have gone a bit soft, but the taste is quite nice. We also picked some Howgate Wonder for baking, and they are nice and sharp, but I quite like to eat them raw too! Orangeippin: yes, Spartan can go very deep crimson/purple if left on the tree as late as possible.
22 Oct 2007 RichardENGLAND, United Kingdom
My first experience of a Spartan apple, and its certianly a good one. Seems to be available in Waitrose at the moment - at least until I buy them all!
21 Oct 2007 PatENGLAND, United Kingdom
I have just had the apples growing in our garden identified as Spartans. I love the way they have a whitish bloom on the skin until you polish them, then they glow deep red, much darker than the picture above. They make a wonderful sunset coloured apple juice, keep well when stored - altogether, a great apple!
15 Oct 2007 JackieBETHEL CT, United States
I recently went apple picking in Washington CT Averill Farm. I picked all Spartan apples, they are the BEST so far!!
15 Oct 2007 Andrew AllisonOXFORD, ENGLAND, United Kingdom
I grow Spartan apples in my back garden. This year was an exceptional crop. One medium tree yielded nearly 200 kg of the little gems, which I shall shortly be pressing to make some Spartan Cider!
14 Oct 2007 PatsyPA, United States
I love the spartan apple, but I haven't been able to find them in a long time, I finally got some at an Amish roadside stand I frequent near my home. I ate one on the way home and couldn't get over how good it was, I'm going back to get some more.
11 Oct 2007 ElizabethENGLAND, United Kingdom
Bought 3 of these. My children hated them! I however adored them as they brought back memories of my childhood. No idea why. Will buy them again.
07 Oct 2007 Pat RobbinsPENNSYLVANIA, United States
I absolutely love this apple, but it is extremely hard to find where I live. Every year I ask various growers from around my area, but it seems noone has them. I would appreciate knowing where I can find these delicious apples. Thanks, Pat Robbins

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Fruit tree register

Do you have a tree of this variety in your garden or orchard? If so please register the details here and contribute to our international register of fruit trees.

The following Spartan trees have been registered - click the name to view more details of each tree.

You can also view these trees on a map.

United States

United Kingdom

Australia

  • Jenny in MELBOURNE, VICTORIA,

Switzerland

Poland



Latest Spring blossom records for this variety

2011 season

  • 26th April  2011  - tree owned by Malcolm in loughborough, United Kingdom
  • 20th April  2011  - tree owned by James in MELBOURNE, United Kingdom
  • 18th April  2011  - tree owned by David in BROADSTONE, United Kingdom
  • 15th April  2011  - tree owned by James in York, United Kingdom

2010 season

  • 9th May  2010  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • 8th May  2010  - tree owned by John in READING, United Kingdom
  • 5th May  2010  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
  • 23rd April  2010  - tree owned by Christopher in LYDD, United Kingdom
  • 28th March  2010  - tree owned by Leslie in SAN JOSE, United States

2009 season

  • 28th April  2009  - tree owned by N. in Cambridge, United Kingdom
  • 23rd April  2009  - tree owned by Christopher in LYDD, United Kingdom
  • 22nd April  2009  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
  • April  2009  - tree owned by Malcolm in loughborough, United Kingdom

Record your blossom dates in our Fruit Tree Register - more >>.

Latest harvest records for this variety

2011 season

  • 3rd week October  2011  - tree owned by Tara in Bremerton, United States
  • 4th week September  2011  - tree owned by Colin in , United Kingdom

2010 season

  • 2nd week October  2010  - tree owned by Colin in , United Kingdom
  • 3rd week September  2010  - tree owned by James in York, United Kingdom
  • 2nd week September  2010  - tree owned by Christopher in LYDD, United Kingdom

2009 season

  • 2nd week October  2009  - tree owned by Richard in YORK, United Kingdom
  • 2nd week September  2009  - tree owned by Christopher in LYDD, United Kingdom
  • September  2009  - tree owned by N. in CAMBRIDGE, United Kingdom
  • September  2009  - tree owned by Malcolm in loughborough, United Kingdom

Mature heights for Spartan trees

This table shows the likely mature height for a Spartan tree taking into account the vigor of the variety, the rootstock, and soil conditions.

Rootstock Soil quality
Poor Below average Average Above average Very good
P22 2.5 ft
0.8 m		 3.1 ft
0.9 m		 3.7 ft
1.1 m		 4.3 ft
1.3 m		 4.9 ft
1.5 m
M27 2.8 ft
0.9 m		 3.5 ft
1.1 m		 4.2 ft
1.3 m		 4.9 ft
1.5 m		 5.6 ft
1.7 m
M9 4.2 ft
1.3 m		 5.3 ft
1.6 m		 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.4 ft
2.3 m		 8.4 ft
2.6 m
Bud.9 4.2 ft
1.3 m		 5.3 ft
1.6 m		 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.4 ft
2.3 m		 8.4 ft
2.6 m
Geneva 16 4.2 ft
1.3 m		 5.3 ft
1.6 m		 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.4 ft
2.3 m		 8.4 ft
2.6 m
Geneva 11 4.9 ft
1.5 m		 6.1 ft
1.9 m		 7.4 ft
2.3 m		 8.6 ft
2.6 m		 9.8 ft
3.0 m
M26 5.3 ft
1.6 m		 6.6 ft
2.0 m		 7.9 ft
2.4 m		 9.2 ft
2.8 m		 10.5 ft
3.2 m
Geneva 30 5.6 ft
1.7 m		 7.0 ft
2.1 m		 8.4 ft
2.6 m		 9.8 ft
3.0 m		 11.2 ft
3.4 m
MM102 5.6 ft
1.7 m		 7.0 ft
2.1 m		 8.4 ft
2.6 m		 9.8 ft
3.0 m		 11.2 ft
3.4 m
M7 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.9 ft
2.4 m		 9.5 ft
2.9 m		 11.0 ft
3.4 m		 12.6 ft
3.9 m
M116 6.3 ft
1.9 m		 7.9 ft
2.4 m		 9.5 ft
2.9 m		 11.0 ft
3.4 m		 12.6 ft
3.9 m
MM106 7.0 ft
2.1 m		 8.8 ft
2.7 m		 10.5 ft
3.2 m		 12.3 ft
3.8 m		 14.0 ft
4.3 m
MM111 8.4 ft
2.6 m		 10.5 ft
3.2 m		 12.6 ft
3.9 m		 14.7 ft
4.5 m		 16.8 ft
5.2 m
Bud.118 9.1 ft
2.8 m		 11.4 ft
3.5 m		 13.7 ft
4.2 m		 15.9 ft
4.9 m		 18.2 ft
5.6 m
M25 10.5 ft
3.2 m		 13.1 ft
4.0 m		 15.8 ft
4.8 m		 18.4 ft
5.6 m		 21.0 ft
6.4 m

From an idea by N. Buck - more details.

Where to buy apple trees

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