Hail-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range
Quick answer
97 plants make our list of hail-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range. Examples include 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' Pine, Apache plume, Big sagebrush, Bristlecone(foxtail) Pine, and Cliff fendlerbush. Each is rated for Colorado Front Range conditions and drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension references.
The Front Range sits in "hail alley," and a single summer storm can shred soft foliage. These trees and shrubs stand up best to hail thanks to tough or flexible growth, a more resilient choice for exposed Colorado yards. No plant is completely hail-proof.
Plan your garden
Not sure what to plant? The finder matches Front Range trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to your soil, water, sun, and zone.
All 97 plants
'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' PinePinus flexilis25–30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–7
Apache plumeFallugia paradoxa4–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata3–8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Bristlecone(foxtail) PinePinus aristata15–30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–7
Cliff fendlerbushFendlera rupicola3–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 5–8
CliffrosePurshia mexicana4–8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Colorado Blue SprucePicea pungens glauca15–50 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–7
Colorado SprucePicea pungens50–75 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–7
Common juniperJuniperus communis2–4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–7
Curlleaf mountain mahoganyCercocarpus ledifolius10–20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Dwarf wild indigoAmorpha nana1–2 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9Engleman SprucePicea engelmannii40–60 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–6
FernbushChamaebatiaria millefolium4–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Fourwing saltbushAtriplex canescens3–8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Fragrant sumacRhus aromatica2–3 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
LeadplantAmorpha canescens2–4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9- Limber PinePinus flexilis30–50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–7
Littleleaf mountain mahoganyCercocarpus intricatus3–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Lodgepole PinePinus contorta30–50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Mountain mahoganyCercocarpus montanus6–12 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
New Mexico privetForestiera neomexicana6–12 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
One JuniperJuniperus monosperma10–20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Pinyon PinePinus edulis15–30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Ponderosa PinePinus ponderosa60–100 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Rockspirea / mountain sprayHolodiscus dumosus3–5 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Rocky Mountain Douglas firPseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca40–80 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–6
Rocky Mountain Juniper (species)Juniperus scopulorum15–30 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8Roundleaf buffaloberryShepherdia rotundifolia3–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 5–8
Rubber rabbitbrushEricameria nauseosa3–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Sand sagebrushArtemisia filifolia2–5 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Silver buffaloberryShepherdia argentea8–18 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–7
Small soapweed / Great Plains yuccaYucca glauca2–4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Southwestern White PinePinus strobiformis50–70 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Three-leaf sumacRhus trilobata4–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Western snowberrySymphoricarpos occidentalis2–4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
White FirAbies concolor50–80 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
WinterfatKrascheninnikovia lanata1–3 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
'Blue Point' JuniperJuniperus chinensis8–12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Adam's needle yuccaYucca filamentosa2–4 ftlow waterUSDA 4–10
American YellowwoodCladrastis kentukea30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Amur MaackiaMaackia amurensis20–30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–7
Arizona CypressHesperocyparis arizonica30–50 ftlow waterUSDA 7–10- Arizona Cypress 'Blue Ice'Hesperocyparis arizonica20–30 ftlow waterUSDA 7–10
Austrian 'Oregan Green' PinePinus nigra40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8- Austrian PinePinus nigra25–35 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Black Hills 'Densata' SprucePicea glauca25–40 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–6
Black Locust - 'Purple Robe'Robinia pseudoacacia30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–8
Blue Star juniperJuniperus squamata 'Blue Star'1–3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
BLUE VELVET® honeysuckleLonicera korolkowii 'Floribunda'8–12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Bosnian Pine (Emerald Arrow)Pinus heldreichii20–30 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7- Bosnian Pine (species)Pinus heldreichii30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Cedar of LebanonCedrus libani40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 6–9- Chinese JuniperJuniperus chinensis15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus50–70 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Compact Oregon grapeMahonia aquifolium 'Compactum'2–3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
Creeping juniperJuniperus horizontalis1–2 ftlow waterUSDA 3–9
Dawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboides60–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Eastern ArborvitaeThuja occidentalis12–30 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–8
Eastern Red Cedar Juniper (Hillspire)Juniperus virginiana15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8- Eastern Red Cedar Juniper (Taylor)Juniperus virginiana20–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Eastern White PinePinus strobus50–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
European LarchLarix decidua40–70 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–6
Green GiantThuja standishii x Thuja plicata40–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–8
Hansa roseRosa rugosa 'Hansa'4–5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Hazel Smith Giant SequoiaSequoiadendron giganteum30–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 6–8
Japanese barberryBerberis thunbergii2–5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Japanese garden juniperJuniperus procumbens 'Nana'1 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9- Kentucky CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus60–75 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Lacebark PinePinus bungeana30–50 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3–7
Mugo PinePinus mugo10–15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2–7
Norway SprucePicea abies25–30 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–7Platinum sageSalvia daghestanica1 ftlow waterUSDA 4–9
Red Jacket gooseberryRibes uva-crispa 'Red Jacket'3–4 ftmedium waterUSDA 2–8
Red yuccaHesperaloe parviflora2–4 ftlow waterUSDA 5–11
Redleaf roseRosa glauca4–7 ftlow waterUSDA 3–9- Rocky Mountain Juniper (Medora)Juniperus scopulorum15–25 ftlow waterUSDA 3–8
- Rocky Mountain Juniper (Welchii)Juniperus scopulorum15–20 ftlow waterUSDA 3–8
Ruby Voodoo roseRosa 'Ruby Voodoo'4–5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
- Rugosa / beach roseRosa rugosa4–6 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Russian sageSalvia yangii2–4 ftlow waterUSDA 4–9
Saltcedar / tamariskTamarix ramosissima12–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2–8
Savin juniperJuniperus sabina1–3 ftlow waterUSDA 3–7
Scarlet firethornPyracantha coccinea6–12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
Scotch PinePinus sylvestris40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Sea buckthornHippophae rhamnoides10–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Sea Foam sageArtemisia versicolor 'Sea Foam'1 ftlow waterUSDA 3–9
Serbian SprucePicea omorika50–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–7
SHAWNEE BRAVE™ BaldcypressTaxodium distichum 'Mickelson'50–75 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–10
Siberian pea shrubCaragana arborescens10–18 ftlow waterUSDA 2–7
Singleleaf Pinyon PinePinus monophylla15–30 ftlow waterUSDA 3–7
SPANISH GOLD® broomCytisus purgans2–4 ftlow waterUSDA 5–8
Sungari redbead cotoneasterCotoneaster racemiflorus var. soongoricus6–10 ftlow waterUSDA 4–7
Swiss Stone PinePinus cembra30–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–7
Thornless Common Honeylocust (IMPERIAL®)Gleditsia triacanthos40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9- Thornless Common Honeylocust (NORTHERN ACCLAIM®)Gleditsia triacanthos30–45 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
- Thornless Common Honeylocust (SUNBURST®)Gleditsia triacanthos30–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
TIDY Littleleaf peashrubCaragana microphylla 'Tidy'3–4 ftlow waterUSDA 2–7
Frequently asked questions
- Which of these are Colorado native?
- 37 of the 97 plants are Colorado natives, including 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' Pine, Apache plume, Big sagebrush, and Bristlecone(foxtail) Pine.
- How much water do these plants need?
- 72 of the 97 are rated low or low-to-medium water; the rest need moderate water. Each plant's page lists its water rating.
- How were these plants selected?
- Each of the 97 plants meets this page's criteria and is cross-referenced against the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List, CSU Extension, Denver Botanic Gardens, and USDA PLANTS. This is a reference guide, not a paid listing.
Related guides
- Low-water trees for the Colorado Front Range
- Colorado native trees for the Front Range
- Best shade trees for the Colorado Front Range
- Small trees for Front Range yards
- Low-water shrubs for the Colorado Front Range
- Colorado native shrubs for the Front Range
- Privacy and hedge shrubs for Colorado
- Front Range plants that are toxic to dogs
- Trees to avoid on the Colorado Front Range
- Deer-resistant plants for the Front Range
- Fast-growing shade trees for the Colorado Front Range
- Fast-growing screening shrubs for the Colorado Front Range
- Best fall color trees for the Colorado Front Range
- Best pollinator trees for the Colorado Front Range
- Evergreen trees for the Colorado Front Range
- Salt-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range