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All about apples, pears, plums, and cherries - and orchards where they are grown

Spartan Apple tree

Owner: N.

Location:  United Kingdom

Age:Planted in about
Rootstock:M25
Soil:Shallow sandy-gravelly loam 
Climate at this location:Warm, dry, windy
Pruning:Yes
Tree form:Half-standard
Height:Between 6ft / 2m and 15ft / 4m
Cropping:Medium crops
Growth:This tree grows fairly well here
Herbicides:Manual treatment (hoeing and weeding)
Pesticides:Un-treated
Local pests:None

Owner's comments

Very resistant to pests and diseases in my location, contrary to claims of problems with canker. Fruits have a yeasty "bloom" which gives a slight purple tinge to the maroon-coloured fruits. Does not "drop" many fruits in June, so can end up with a large number of small-medium apples. Tough skin, but if skin is broken, damaged apples very quickly succumb to brown rot. Ripens well in my (mild) region to a balanced sweet-sharp, melon-strawberry flavour, despite claims of "metallic" flavour in UK.