Small trees for Front Range yards
Quick answer
71 plants make our list of small trees for Front Range yards. Examples include One Juniper, Rocky Mountain Maple, Rocky Mountain/Water Birch, Wavyleaf Oak, and 'Autumn Brilliance' Serviceberry. Each is rated for Colorado Front Range conditions and drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension references.
Compact trees under about 25 feet, ideal for smaller Front Range lots, under power lines, or as ornamental accents. All are recommended for Colorado conditions.
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Not sure what to plant? The finder matches Front Range trees, shrubs, perennials, and groundcover to your soil, water, sun, and zone.
Compare these trees at a glance
| Plant | Mature height | Water | Colorado native | Hardiness | Mature form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One Juniper | 10–20 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 3–8 | Irregular |
| Rocky Mountain Maple | 10–25 ft | medium to high water | Yes | USDA 4–8 | Rounded |
| Rocky Mountain/Water Birch | 15–25 ft | medium to high water | Yes | USDA 3–7 | Oval |
| Wavyleaf Oak | 6–15 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 4–8 | Irregular |
| 'Autumn Brilliance' Serviceberry | 15–25 ft | medium water | — | USDA 3–8 | Rounded |
| 'Blue Point' Juniper | 8–12 ft | low to medium water | — | USDA 3–8 | Pyramidal |
| 'Ruby Falls' Redbud | 6–8 ft | medium water | — | USDA 4–9 | Spreading |
| 'Toba' Hawthorn | 15–20 ft | medium water | — | USDA 4–8 | Rounded |
| Adirondack Crabapple | 15–18 ft | low to medium water | — | USDA 4–8 | Rounded |
| Allegheny Serviceberry | 15–25 ft | medium water | — | USDA 3–8 | Rounded |
| Amur/Ginnala Maple | 15–20 ft | low to medium water | — | USDA 3–8 | Rounded |
| Apple | 15–25 ft | medium water | — | USDA 4–8 | Rounded |
Ordered Colorado-native first, then alphabetically, not a quality ranking. Full list below.
All 71 plants
One JuniperJuniperus monosperma10–20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Rocky Mountain MapleAcer glabrum10–25 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Rocky Mountain/Water BirchBetula occidentalis15–25 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Wavyleaf OakQuercus undulata6–15 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
'Autumn Brilliance' ServiceberryAmelanchier x grandiflora15–25 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–8
'Blue Point' JuniperJuniperus chinensis8–12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
'Ruby Falls' RedbudCercis canadensis6–8 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–9
'Toba' HawthornCrataegus x mordenensis15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Adirondack CrabappleMalus 'Adirondack'15–18 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Allegheny ServiceberryAmelanchier laevis15–25 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–8
Amur/Ginnala MapleAcer tataricum subsp. ginnala15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
AppleMalus varieties15–25 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Bartlett PearPyrus15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Bechtel 'Plena'Malus ioensis15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Bing CherryPrunus avium 'Bing'15–25 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
BRANDYWINE® CrabappleMalus x 'Branzam'15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Chinese ApricotPrunus armeniaca15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8- Chinese JuniperJuniperus chinensis15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Common ChokecherryPrunus virginiana15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2–7- CORALBURST® CrabappleMalus x 'Coralcole'8–15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Cornelian Cherry DogwoodCornus mas15–25 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Des Fontaines Flowering CherryPrunus x fontanesiana15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
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
Elberta PeachPrunus persica 'Elberta', 'Polly', 'Red Haven'12–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
English HawthornCrataegus laevigata18–25 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Evans Bali Sour CherryPrunus cerasus 'Evans Bali'15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8- Gladiator CrabappleMalus 'Gladiator'15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Globe - 'Navajo'Salix matsudana15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8- Golden Raindrops®Malus x 'Schmidtcutleaf'15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
- Indian Magic CrabappleMalus 'Indian Magic'15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Jack'™ PearPyrus calleryana12–15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
Japanese LilacSyringa reticulata15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–7- Louisa CrabappleMalus 'Louisa'12–15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
- Montmorency CherryPrunus cerasus10–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
- Moongold ApricotPrunus armeniaca15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Mount Royal PlumPrunus 'Mount Royal'12–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
MT. ST. HELENS® Flowering PlumPrunus cerasifera 'Frankthrees'15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Mugo PinePinus mugo10–15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2–7- Newport (Kankakee strain) Flowering PlumPrunus cerasifera 'Newport'15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
- Newport Flowering PlumPrunus cerasifera 'Newport'15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Peking LilacSyringa reticulata subsp. pekinensis15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–7
PINK FLAIR® Flowering CherryPrunus sargentii 'Pink Flare'20–25 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–7- Prairie Rose CrabappleMalus 'Prairie Rose'15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
- Prairiefire CrabappleMalus 'Prairiefire'15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Princess Kay Flowering PlumPrunus nigra 'Princess Kay'10–15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8- Radiant CrabappleMalus 'Radiant'15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
- Red Barron CrabappleMalus 'Red Barron'15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
- Reliance PeachPrunus persica 'Reliance', 'Veteran', 'Contender'12–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Rocky Mountain Juniper (Medora)Juniperus scopulorum15–25 ftlow waterUSDA 3–8- Rocky Mountain Juniper (Welchii)Juniperus scopulorum15–20 ftlow waterUSDA 3–8
- ROYAL RAINDROPS® CrabappleMalus 'JFS-KW5'15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Russian HawthornCrataegus ambigua15–20 ftlow waterUSDA 4–8
Santa Rosa PlumPrunus salicina 'Santa Rosa'15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Sargent CrabappleMalus sargentii6–10 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8- Sargent Tina CrabappleMalus sargentii 'Tina'4–5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Saskatoon ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifolia10–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2–7
Shadblow ServiceberryAmelanchier canadensis15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8- Spring Snow CrabappleMalus 'Spring Snow'20–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
- Stanley PlumPrunus 'Stanley'15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
- Stella Compact CherryPrunus avium 'Stella Compact'10–15 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
SUCKER PUNCH® ChokecherryPrunus x 'P002S' (PP25,767)8–15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8- Superior PlumPrunus 'Superior'15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Tatarian HOT WINGS® MapleAcer tataricum15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8- Tatarian MapleAcer tataricum15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Texas Buckeye (Western Buckeye)Aesculus glabra var. arguta15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–7- Thunderchild CrabappleMalus 'Thunderchild'15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
- Toka PlumPrunus 'Toka'15–20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Ussurian PearPyrus ussuriensis15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
White Mulberry 'Chaparral'Morus alba8–15 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–9
Yellowhorn- CLEAR CREEK™Xanthoceras sorbifolium15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–7
Frequently asked questions
- How big do these trees get?
- Mature heights range from about 4 to 25 ft across the 71 trees on this list. Each plant's page lists its exact mature size and spread.
- Which of these are Colorado native?
- 4 of the 71 trees are Colorado natives, including One Juniper, Rocky Mountain Maple, Rocky Mountain/Water Birch, and Wavyleaf Oak.
- How much water do these plants need?
- 43 of the 71 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 71 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
- 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