Best fall color trees for Fort Collins
Last updated 2026-06-05
Quick answer
8 best fall color trees for Fort Collins are ranked here for Fort Collins's specific conditions — drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension sources, then ordered for Fort Collins's local hazards. Compare them below.
Fort Collins does fall color as well as anywhere on the Front Range — its cool foothills nights and mature Old Town canopy light up in October. But the local conditions shape what colors up reliably: at ~5,000 feet in zone 5b, with heavy compacted alkaline clay, our high-pH soil can mute the reds on species that want acidic ground, and erratic late-season weather can cut a show short. Add an emerald-ash-borer quarantine that takes the city's many ash off the table, and the smart move is a proven, non-ash tree that colors up dependably here. Every tree below reliably develops fall color and is ranked for Fort Collins' clay, cold, wind, and hail.
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What this means in Fort Collins
For the most dependable color in Fort Collins, favor species whose fall display holds up in alkaline clay rather than acid-loving trees that sulk in our high-pH soil. Intensity still varies year to year with water and weather, and none of these is an ash — with EAB here, a fall-color tree doubles as your ash replacement.
Top picks for Fort Collins
| Plant | Mature height | Water | Colorado native | Hardiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Honeylocust — Thornless Common – IMPERIAL®, SHADEMASTER®, SKYLINE® | 40–50 ft | low to medium water | — | USDA 3–9 |
| Honeylocust — Thornless Common – NORTHERN ACCLAIM® | 30–45 ft | low to medium water | — | USDA 3–9 |
| Baldcypress — Baldcypress – SHAWNEE BRAVE™ | 50–75 ft | medium to high water | — | USDA 4–10 |
| Coffeetree — Kentucky Coffeetree | 60–75 ft | low to medium water | — | USDA 3–8 |
| Coffeetree — Kentucky Coffeetree – ESPRESSO®, DECAF®, SKINNY LATTE™, PRAIRIE TITAN™ | 50–70 ft | low to medium water | — | USDA 3–8 |
| Dawn Redwood — Dawn Redwood | 60–80 ft | medium water | — | USDA 4–8 |
| Larch — European Larch | 40–70 ft | medium to high water | — | USDA 2–6 |
| Yellowwood — American Yellowwood | 30–50 ft | medium water | — | USDA 4–8 |
Honeylocust — Thornless Common – IMPERIAL®, SHADEMASTER®, SKYLINE®Gleditsia triacanthos40–50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9- Honeylocust — Thornless Common – NORTHERN ACCLAIM®Gleditsia triacanthos30–45 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Baldcypress — Baldcypress – SHAWNEE BRAVE™Taxodium distichum 'Mickelson'50–75 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–10
Coffeetree — Kentucky CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus60–75 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8- Coffeetree — Kentucky Coffeetree – ESPRESSO®, DECAF®, SKINNY LATTE™, PRAIRIE TITAN™Gymnocladus dioicus50–70 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Dawn Redwood — Dawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboides60–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Larch — European LarchLarix decidua40–70 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–6
Yellowwood — American YellowwoodCladrastis kentukea30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Frequently asked questions
- Which trees give the most reliable fall color in Fort Collins?
- Species rated for fall color that also tolerate alkaline clay color up most dependably here — many oaks, maples suited to high pH, and others on this list. Acid-loving trees often disappoint in Fort Collins' soil.
- Why is fall color sometimes muted on the Front Range?
- Our alkaline, high-pH soils can mute the reds on species adapted to acidic ground, and intensity varies with the season's water and temperature swings. Picking soil-matched species is the fix.
- Should I plant an ash for fall color in Fort Collins?
- No — emerald ash borer is established here, so new ash plantings are discouraged. Choose a non-ash fall-color tree from the list above.