Best fall color trees for the Colorado Front Range
Quick answer
107 plants make our list of best fall color trees for the Colorado Front Range. Examples include Bigtooth Maple (species), Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple, Gambel Oak, Highland Poplar (cottonwood), and Lanceleaf Poplar (cottonwood). Each is rated for Colorado Front Range conditions and drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension references.
Trees that put on a real autumn show on the Front Range: reds, oranges, golds, and purples. Fall color intensity varies with the season, water, and site (and our alkaline soils can mute some species), but each tree below reliably colors up.
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Compare these trees at a glance
| Plant | Mature height | Water | Colorado native | Hardiness | Fall color |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bigtooth Maple (species) | 20 to 30 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 | Orange, Red |
| Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple | 30 to 40 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 2 to 9 | Yellow |
| Gambel Oak | 15 to 30 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 | Bronze, Red |
| Highland Poplar (cottonwood) | 50 to 70 ft | medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 | Gold, Yellow |
| Lanceleaf Poplar (cottonwood) | 40 to 60 ft | medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 | Gold, Yellow |
| Narrowleaf Poplar (cottonwood) | 30 to 50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 | Gold, Yellow |
| Plains 'Jeronimus' Poplar (cottonwood) | 50 to 70 ft | medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 | Gold, Yellow |
| Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood) | 20 to 50 ft | medium water | Yes | USDA 1 to 6 | Gold, Yellow |
| River/Douglas Hawthorn | 20 to 30 ft | medium water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 | Orange, Red |
| Rocky Mountain Maple | 10 to 25 ft | medium to high water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 | Orange, Red, Yellow |
| Rocky Mountain/Water Birch | 15 to 25 ft | medium to high water | Yes | USDA 3 to 7 | Gold, Yellow |
| Wavyleaf Oak | 6 to 15 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 | Bronze, Red |
Ordered Colorado-native first, then alphabetically, not a quality ranking. Full list below.
All 107 plants
Bigtooth Maple (species)Acer grandidentatum20 to 30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Boxelder 'Sensation' MapleAcer negundo30 to 40 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 2 to 9
Gambel OakQuercus gambelii15 to 30 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Highland Poplar (cottonwood)Populus x acuminata x sargentii50 to 70 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Lanceleaf Poplar (cottonwood)Populus x acuminata40 to 60 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Narrowleaf Poplar (cottonwood)Populus angustifolia30 to 50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Plains 'Jeronimus' Poplar (cottonwood)Populus deltoides subsp. monilifera50 to 70 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Quaking Aspen Poplar (cottonwood)Populus tremuloides20 to 50 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 1 to 6
River/Douglas HawthornCrataegus douglasii20 to 30 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Rocky Mountain MapleAcer glabrum10 to 25 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Rocky Mountain/Water BirchBetula occidentalis15 to 25 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 7
Wavyleaf OakQuercus undulata6 to 15 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
'Autumn Brilliance' ServiceberryAmelanchier x grandiflora15 to 25 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 8
'Emerald Sunshine' ElmUlmus propinqua35 to 45 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 9
'Frontier' ElmUlmus minor x U. parvifolia40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
'Glenleven' LindenTilia x flavescens40 to 50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 7
'Harvest Gold' LindenTilia cordata x mongolica40 to 50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 7
'New Horizon' ElmUlmus japonica x U. pumila 'New Horizon'40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
'Prospector' ElmUlmus davidiana var. japonica40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
'Toba' HawthornCrataegus x mordenensis15 to 20 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
'Urban Pinnacle' OakQuercus macrocarpa 'Urban Pinnacle'45 to 55 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8- ACCOLADE® ('Morton') ElmUlmus davidiana var. japonica50 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Allegheny ServiceberryAmelanchier laevis15 to 25 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 8
American ElmUlmus americana50 to 70 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2 to 9
American LindenTilia americana50 to 75 ftmedium waterUSDA 2 to 8
American YellowwoodCladrastis kentukea30 to 50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Amur/Ginnala MapleAcer tataricum subsp. ginnala15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Ash speciesFraxinus40 to 60 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Asian White BirchBetula platyphylla30 to 40 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3 to 7
Bartlett PearPyrus15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Bigtooth Maple (ROCKY MOUNTAIN GLOW®)Acer saccharum subsp. grandidentatum20 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Bur OakQuercus macrocarpa60 to 80 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Callery Pear ('Bradford')Pyrus calleryana30 to 50 ftmedium waterUSDA 5 to 9- Callery Pear (Aristocrat)Pyrus calleryana25 to 40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
- Callery Pear (Capital)Pyrus calleryana25 to 35 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
- Chinese ElmUlmus parvifolia40 to 50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Chinkapin OakQuercus muehlenbergii40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 7
Cockspur var. inermis HawthornCrataegus crus-galli20 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 7
CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus50 to 70 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Common HackberryCeltis occidentalis40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Cornelian Cherry DogwoodCornus mas15 to 25 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
David ElmUlmus davidiana40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Dawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboides60 to 80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Downy HawthornCrataegus mollis25 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Eastern Poplar (cottonwood)Populus deltoides50 to 80 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2 to 9
English 'Columnaris' OakQuercus robur45 to 55 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
English HawthornCrataegus laevigata18 to 25 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8- English OakQuercus robur40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
European LarchLarix decidua40 to 70 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2 to 6
European Mountain-ash (CARDINAL ROYAL®)Sorbus aucuparia20 to 40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 6- European Mountain-ash (species)Sorbus aucuparia20 to 40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 6
European White BirchBetula pendula30 to 40 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3 to 7
Freeman MapleAcer x freemanii40 to 60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Giant DogwoodCornus controversa30 to 50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Ginkgo/Maidenhair TreeGinkgo biloba40 to 70 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Green HawthornCrataegus viridis20 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Hedge MapleAcer campestre25 to 35 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
HERITAGE® OakQuercus robur x macrocarpa50 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Jack™ PearPyrus calleryana12 to 15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Japanese Zelkova 'Musashino'Zelkova serrata35 to 45 ftmedium waterUSDA 5 to 8
Katsura TreeCercidiphyllum japonicum40 to 60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Kentucky CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus60 to 75 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Littleleaf LindenTilia cordata40 to 50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 7
MapleAcer truncatum x platanoides35 to 40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Miyabe MapleAcer miyabei30 to 40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- NORTHERN EMPRESS® ElmUlmus davidiana var. japonica25 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Northern Pin OakQuercus ellipsoidalis40 to 60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Norway MapleAcer platanoides40 to 50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 7
Oak (CRIMSON SPIRE®)Quercus alba x robur40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Oak (REGAL PRINCE®)Quercus robur x bicolor40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Oak Leaf Mountain-ashSorbus x hybrida25 to 40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 6
Paperbark MapleAcer griseum20 to 30 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Pecan HickoryCarya illinoinensis50 to 70 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Pin OakQuercus palustris50 to 70 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8- PRAIRIE GOLD® Poplar (cottonwood)Populus tremuloides30 to 40 ftmedium waterUSDA 1 to 6
Red MapleAcer rubrum40 to 60 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Red OakQuercus rubra60 to 75 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
River BirchBetula nigra40 to 70 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4 to 9
Russian HawthornCrataegus ambigua15 to 20 ftlow waterUSDA 4 to 8
Saskatoon ServiceberryAmelanchier alnifolia10 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2 to 7
Sawtooth OakQuercus acutissima40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Shadblow ServiceberryAmelanchier canadensis15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
SHAWNEE BRAVE™ BaldcypressTaxodium distichum 'Mickelson'50 to 75 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4 to 10
Shingle OakQuercus imbricaria50 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Shumard OakQuercus shumardii40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Silver LindenTilia tomentosa50 to 70 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 7
Silver MapleAcer saccharinum50 to 70 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Sugar Maple (Caddo John Pair)Acer saccharum40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Sugar Maple (GREEN MOUNTAIN®)Acer saccharum50 to 70 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Swamp White OakQuercus bicolor50 to 60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Swedish Whitebeam Mountain-ashSorbus intermedia30 to 40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 6
Tatarian HOT WINGS® MapleAcer tataricum15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Tatarian MapleAcer tataricum15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Texas Red OakQuercus buckleyi35 to 50 ftlow waterUSDA 4 to 8
Thornless Common Honeylocust (IMPERIAL®)Gleditsia triacanthos40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9- Thornless Common Honeylocust (NORTHERN ACCLAIM®)Gleditsia triacanthos30 to 45 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
- Thornless Common Honeylocust (SUNBURST®)Gleditsia triacanthos30 to 40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Tower PoplarPopulus x canescens 'Tower'40 to 50 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3 to 8
TRIUMPH® ElmUlmus x 'Morton Glossy'50 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Tuliptree (EMERALD CITY®)Liriodendron tulipifera50 to 80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 9- Tuliptree (species)Liriodendron tulipifera50 to 80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Upright European Poplar (cottonwood)Populus tremula 'Erecta'30 to 40 ftmedium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Ussurian PearPyrus ussuriensis15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Washington HawthornCrataegus phaenopyrum25 to 30 ftmedium waterUSDA 4 to 8
White OakQuercus alba50 to 80 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
White poplarPopulus alba40 to 70 fthigh waterUSDA 3 to 8- Zelkova serrataZelkova serrata50 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 8
Frequently asked questions
- How big do these trees get?
- Mature heights range from about 6 to 80 ft across the 107 trees on this list. Each plant's page lists its exact mature size and spread.
- Which of these are Colorado native?
- 12 of the 107 trees are Colorado natives, including Bigtooth Maple (species), Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple, Gambel Oak, and Highland Poplar (cottonwood).
- How much water do these plants need?
- 52 of the 107 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 107 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
- Front Range plants that are toxic to dogs
- Trees to avoid on the Colorado Front Range
- Deer-resistant plants and shrubs for Colorado's Front Range
- Fast-growing shade trees for Colorado's Front Range
- Best pollinator trees for the Colorado Front Range
- Native plants of Colorado for Front Range yards
- Xeriscape plants for Colorado
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- Salt-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range
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