Best shade trees for the Colorado Front Range
Quick answer
123 plants make our list of best shade trees for the Colorado Front Range. Examples include Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple, Colorado Blue Spruce, Colorado Spruce, Engleman Spruce, and Highland Poplar (cottonwood). Each is rated for Colorado Front Range conditions and drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension references.
Large-canopy trees that deliver real summer shade on the Front Range. Each matures to roughly 40 feet or taller and is rated for Colorado's climate, soils, and wind.
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Compare these trees at a glance
| Plant | Mature height | Water | Colorado native | Hardiness | Mature form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple | 30–40 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 2–9 | Irregular |
| Colorado Blue Spruce | 15–50 ft | medium to high water | Yes | USDA 2–7 | Pyramidal |
| Colorado Spruce | 50–75 ft | medium to high water | Yes | USDA 2–7 | Pyramidal |
| Engleman Spruce | 40–60 ft | medium to high water | Yes | USDA 2–6 | Pyramidal |
| Highland Poplar (cottonwood) | 50–70 ft | medium water | Yes | USDA 3–8 | Oval |
| Lanceleaf Poplar (cottonwood) | 40–60 ft | medium water | Yes | USDA 3–8 | Oval |
| Limber Pine | 30–50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4–7 | Pyramidal |
| Lodgepole Pine | 30–50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3–7 | Pyramidal |
| Narrowleaf Poplar (cottonwood) | 30–50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3–8 | Pyramidal |
| Peachleaf Willow | 25–50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3–8 | Rounded |
| Plains 'Jeronimus' Poplar (cottonwood) | 50–70 ft | medium water | Yes | USDA 3–8 | Spreading |
| Ponderosa Pine | 60–100 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3–7 | Pyramidal |
Ordered Colorado-native first, then alphabetically, not a quality ranking. Full list below.
All 123 plants
Boxelder 'Sensation' MapleAcer negundo30–40 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–9
Colorado Blue SprucePicea pungens glauca15–50 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–7
Colorado SprucePicea pungens50–75 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–7Engleman SprucePicea engelmannii40–60 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–6
Highland Poplar (cottonwood)Populus x acuminata x sargentii50–70 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Lanceleaf Poplar (cottonwood)Populus x acuminata40–60 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Limber PinePinus flexilis30–50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–7
Lodgepole PinePinus contorta30–50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Narrowleaf Poplar (cottonwood)Populus angustifolia30–50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Peachleaf WillowSalix amygdaloides25–50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Plains 'Jeronimus' Poplar (cottonwood)Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera50–70 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Ponderosa PinePinus ponderosa60–100 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood)Populus tremuloides20–50 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 1–6
Rocky Mountain Douglas firPseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca40–80 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–6
Southwestern White PinePinus strobiformis50–70 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
White FirAbies concolor50–80 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
'Emerald Sunshine'Ulmus propinqua35–45 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–9
'Fastigiata' HornbeamCarpinus betulus35–45 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
'Frontier' ElmUlmus minor x U. parvifolia40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
'Glenleven' LindenTilia x flavescens40–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
'Harvest Gold' LindenTilia cordata x mongolica40–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
'New Horizon' ElmUlmus japonica x U. pumila 'New Horizon'40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
'Prospector' ElmUlmus davidiana var. japonica40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
'Urban Pinnacle' OakQuercus macrocarpa 'Urban Pinnacle'45–55 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8- ACCOLADE® ('Morton') ElmUlmus davidiana var. japonica50–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
all cultivars ElmUlmus parvifolia40–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–9
American ElmUlmus americana50–70 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2–9
American HophornbeamOstrya virginiana25–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
American SweetgumLiquidambar styraciflua50–70 ftmedium waterUSDA 5–9
American sycamore PlanetreePlatanus occidentalis70–100 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–9
American YellowwoodCladrastis kentukea30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Amur corktreePhellodendron amurense30–45 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Arizona CypressHesperocyparis arizonica30–50 ftlow waterUSDA 7–10
Ash speciesFraxinus40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–9
Asian White BirchBetula platyphylla30–40 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3–7
Austrian 'Oregan Green' PinePinus nigra40–60 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
Black WalnutJuglans nigra50–75 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
Bosnian Pine (species)Pinus heldreichii30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7- Bur OakQuercus macrocarpa60–80 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Callery - 'Bradford'Pyrus calleryana30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 5–9- Callery Pear (Aristocrat)Pyrus calleryana25–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
Cedar of LebanonCedrus libani40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 6–9
Chinkapin OakQuercus muehlenbergii40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–7
CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus50–70 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Common HackberryCeltis occidentalis40–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Common HorsechestnutAesculus hippocastanum50–75 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–7
Cucumbertree MagnoliaMagnolia acuminata40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
David ElmUlmus davidiana40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
Dawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboides60–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Dolgo CrabappleMalus 'Dolgo'30–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Eastern Poplar (cottonwood)Populus deltoides50–80 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–9
Eastern White PinePinus strobus50–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
English 'Columnaris' OakQuercus robur45–55 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8- English OakQuercus robur40–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
European AlderAlnus glutinosa40–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3–7
European BeechFagus sylvatica40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–7
European LarchLarix decidua40–70 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–6
European Mountain-ash (CARDINAL ROYAL®)Sorbus aucuparia20–40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–6- European Mountain-ash (species)Sorbus aucuparia20–40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–6
European White BirchBetula pendula30–40 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3–7
Freeman - 'Armstrong'Acer x freemanii40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Giant DogwoodCornus controversa30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Ginkgo/Maidenhair TreeGinkgo biloba40–70 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–9
Green GiantThuja standishii x Thuja plicata40–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–8
Hazel Smith Giant SequoiaSequoiadendron giganteum30–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 6–8
HERITAGE® OakQuercus robur x macrocarpa50–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Japanese PagodatreeStyphnolobium japonicum40–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Japanese Zelkova 'Musashino'Zelkova serrata35–45 ftmedium waterUSDA 5–8
Katsura TreeCercidiphyllum japonicum40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8- Kentucky CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus60–75 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Lacebark PinePinus bungeana30–50 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3–7
LindenTilia americana50–75 ftmedium waterUSDA 2–8
Littleleaf LindenTilia cordata40–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
London Planetree 'EXCLAMATION!®'Platanus x acerifolia60–90 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–9
MapleAcer truncatum x platanoides35–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Miyabe MapleAcer miyabei30–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Niobe Weeping WillowSalix alba50–70 fthigh waterUSDA 3–8
Northern PinQuercus ellipsoidalis40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Northern/Western CatalpaCatalpa speciosa40–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Norway MapleAcer platanoides40–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Oak (CRIMSON SPIRE®)Quercus alba x robur40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Oak (REGAL PRINCE®)Quercus robur x bicolor40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Oak Leaf Mountain-ashSorbus x hybrida25–40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–6
Ohio BuckeyeAesculus glabra20–40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Osage Orange 'White Shield'Maclura pomifera30–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
Pecan HickoryCarya illinoinensis50–70 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–9
Pin OakQuercus palustris50–70 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Prairie Cascade WillowSalix x 'Prairie Cascade'35–45 fthigh waterUSDA 3–8- PRAIRIE GOLD® Poplar (cottonwood)Populus tremuloides30–40 ftmedium waterUSDA 1–6
Red HorsechestnutAesculus x carnea30–40 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–7
Red MapleAcer rubrum40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–9
Red OakQuercus rubra60–75 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
River BirchBetula nigra40–70 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–9- Russian Golden WillowSalix alba40–60 fthigh waterUSDA 3–8
Sawtooth OakQuercus acutissima40–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Scotch PinePinus sylvestris40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Serbian SprucePicea omorika50–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–7
SHAWNEE BRAVE™ BaldcypressTaxodium distichum 'Mickelson'50–75 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–10
Shingle OakQuercus imbricaria50–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Shumard OakQuercus shumardii40–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
Silver - all cultivars MapleAcer saccharinum50–70 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–9
Silver LindenTilia tomentosa50–70 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Sugar Maple (Caddo John Pair)Acer saccharum40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8- Sugar Maple (GREEN MOUNTAIN®)Acer saccharum50–70 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Swamp White OakQuercus bicolor50–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Swedish Whitebeam Mountain-ashSorbus intermedia30–40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–6
Swiss Stone PinePinus cembra30–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–7
Texas Red OakQuercus buckleyi35–50 ftlow waterUSDA 4–8
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
TowerPopulus x canescens 'Tower'40–50 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3–8
TRIUMPH® ElmUlmus x 'Morton Glossy'50–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–9
Tuliptree (EMERALD CITY®)Liriodendron tulipifera50–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–9- Tuliptree (species)Liriodendron tulipifera50–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–9
Turkish Filbert/HazelnutCorylus colurna40–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Upright European Poplar (cottonwood)Populus tremula 'Erecta'30–40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–8
White OakQuercus alba50–80 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
White poplarPopulus alba40–70 fthigh waterUSDA 3–8
Yellow BuckeyeAesculus flava50–75 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–7- Zelkova serrataZelkova serrata50–60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–8
Frequently asked questions
- How big do these trees get?
- Mature heights range from about 15 to 100 ft across the 123 trees on this list. Each plant's page lists its exact mature size and spread.
- Which of these are Colorado native?
- 16 of the 123 trees are Colorado natives, including Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple, Colorado Blue Spruce, Colorado Spruce, and Engleman Spruce.
- How much water do these plants need?
- 46 of the 123 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 123 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
- Small trees for Front Range yards
- 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
- 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
- Hail-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range