Spartan Blueberry Bush

Big blue fat berries, the Spartan Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum 'Spartan') was introduced in 1977 by the USDA in Beltsville, Maryland. This beautiful, upright Northern Highbush variety produced huge, quarter-sized fruit that was twice the size of the average Blueberry of the time.

Spartan had a big appeal for both commercial growers and home gardeners. The most obvious benefit was the amazing large fruit size, followed by the excellent quality of the fruit. A firm texture also added a snap to the eating experience! Self-fertile shrubs, you'll get a much larger harvest when planting your Spartan with another Highbush Blueberry. That just means more fruit for you and your songbirds and wildlife that will also partake in your harvest!

Bumblebees, honeybees, and butterflies love the darling white blooms with pinkish touches that stand out against the lovely green foliage. Hardy throughout USDA growing zones 5 through 7, Spartan Blueberry grows 5-6 feet in height and 4-5 feet in width but can be kept pruned smaller to accommodate smaller properties.

Planting and Application:

The Spartan does very well in large containers with drainage holes! Fill with an acid planting mix and blend in some well-rotted leaf mold or pathway bark for perfect potting soil. Tall and rounded, you can use these flowering and fruiting edible shrubs for accenting garden beds and borders, or to use as a backdrop hedge to highlight your veggie garden or flower beds!

Northern Highbush Blueberries are generally self-fruitful, but you'll love the larger crops when you plant several together. The vigorous growth of this plant makes it ideal for hedging. You can take your orchard linear and create double-duty ornamental screening! Consider planting different ripening varieties in a hedge row for continual harvest and privacy.

Once picked, your berries will store well in the refrigerator, letting you enjoy them fresh for weeks. Add some to your breakfast cereal, add to yogurt, turn into jam or jelly, or bake in a pie or muffins. Use your imagination and you will have plenty of berries to experiment with!

• North American Native Highbush With HUGE Fruit
• Upright Growth Habit
• Unmatched Summer Flavor
• Wonderful Fall Color
• Self-Fertile Early Season Northern Highbush
• Great Double-Duty Ornamental Fruiting Bush
• Plant With Another Spartan, or Earliblue, Reka & Bluejay For A Larger Harvest

#ProPlantTips for Care:

This is a Highbush Blueberry variety you want to keep eating after the bowl is empty. Here are some pro tips to get the most out of this wonderful variety: Plant in full sun for the most fruit and provide regular moisture to keep the fruit nice and plump! Provide 3-4 inches of arborist mulch over the top of the root system. Spartan is sensitive to poor draining soils and should be elevated when good drainage is a problem.

Blueberry bushes like acid soil with a pH of 5. 5. Add 2 tablespoons of Soil Sulphur to ensure that the pH is down in the mid 5's for container plants. We recommend testing your containers regularly for the best production. Fertilize quarterly with acid fertilizers rated for other acid-loving plants such as Azaleas, Camellias, and Rhododendrons.

• Full Sun & Best in Acidic Soil
• Ample Moisture, Mulch & Organic Fertility
• Prune When Dormant
• Resists Root Rot & Fungus
• Self-Fertile & Larger Crops With Another
• Needs ~800 Chilling Hours
• Check Out More Blueberry Care

Beautiful in season and out, with enormous fruit for fresh eating and baking. The Spartan Northern Highbush Blueberry brings a wonderful upright growth habit in the landscape and a fiery orangey-red fall color. Simply put, this one is a real winner. Order yours today at NatureHills.com and don't let another day go by without these enormous fruits!