Hail-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range
Last updated 2026-06-05
Quick answer
91 plants make our list of hail-tolerant trees and shrubs for the Front Range. Examples include Apache plume, Big sagebrush, Cliff fendlerbush, Cliff rose, and Cliffrose. 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.
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All 91 plants
Apache plumeFallugia paradoxa4–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata3–8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Cliff fendlerbushFendlera rupicola3–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 5–8
Cliff roseCowania mexicana6–10 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
CliffrosePurshia mexicana4–8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Curlleaf mountain mahoganyCercocarpus ledifolius10–20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Douglas-fir — Rocky Mountain Douglas firPseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca40–80 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–6
Dwarf wild indigoAmorpha nana1–2 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
FernbushChamaebatiaria millefolium4–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Fir — WhiteAbies concolor50–80 ftmedium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Fourwing saltbushAtriplex canescens3–8 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Fragrant sumacRhus aromatica2–3 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Juniper — One – SeedJuniperus monosperma10–20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Juniper — Rocky MountainJuniperus scopulorum15–30 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
LeadplantAmorpha canescens2–4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Littleleaf mountain mahoganyCercocarpus intricatus3–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
Mountain mahoganyCercocarpus montanus6–12 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–8
New Mexico privetForestiera neomexicana6–12 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Pine — 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid'Pinus flexilis25–30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–7
Pine — Bristlecone(foxtail)Pinus aristata15–30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–7- Pine — LimberPinus flexilis30–50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–7
Pine — LodgepolePinus contorta30–50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Pine — PinyonPinus edulis15–30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
Pine — PonderosaPinus ponderosa60–100 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Pine — Southwestern WhitePinus strobiformis50–70 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
Rockspirea / mountain sprayHolodiscus dumosus3–5 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–8
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
Spruce — ColoradoPicea pungens50–75 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–7
Spruce — Colorado Blue – BABY BLUE®, 'Baby Blue Eyes', 'Bakeri', 'Fastigiata', 'Fat Albert', 'Hoopsi', 'Colorado Weeping', 'Sester Dwarf'Picea pungens glauca15–50 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–7Spruce — Engleman SprucePicea engelmannii40–60 ftmedium to high waterColorado nativeUSDA 2–6
Three-leaf sumacRhus trilobata4–6 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–9
Western snowberrySymphoricarpos occidentalis2–4 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3–7
WinterfatKrascheninnikovia lanata1–3 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4–9
Adam's needle yuccaYucca filamentosa2–4 ftlow waterUSDA 4–10
Baldcypress — Baldcypress – SHAWNEE BRAVE™Taxodium distichum 'Mickelson'50–75 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–10
Black Locust - 'Purple Robe'Robinia pseudoacacia30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–8
BLUE VELVET® honeysuckleLonicera korolkowii 'Floribunda'8–12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Cedar — Cedar of LebanonCedrus libani40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 6–9
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
Compact Oregon grapeMahonia aquifolium 'Compactum'2–3 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
Cypress — Arizona CypressHesperocyparis arizonica30–50 ftlow waterUSDA 7–10- Cypress — Arizona Cypress 'Blue Ice', CRYSTAL FROST™Hesperocyparis arizonica20–30 ftlow waterUSDA 7–10
Dawn Redwood — Dawn RedwoodMetasequoia glyptostroboides60–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Eastern Arborvitae – 'Emerald', 'Techny', 'Degroots Spire', 'North Pole'Thuja occidentalis12–30 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–8
Giant Sequoia — Giant Sequoia – 'Hazel Smith'Sequoiadendron giganteum30–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 6–8
Green GiantThuja standishii x Thuja plicata40–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–8
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
- Honeylocust — Thornless Common – SUNBURST®Gleditsia triacanthos30–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–9
Japanese barberryBerberis thunbergii2–5 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4–8
Juniper — 'Blue Point'Juniperus chinensis8–12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8- Juniper — Chinese – 'Spartan', 'Spearmint', 'Hetzi Columnaris'Juniperus chinensis15–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Juniper — Eastern Red Cedar – 'Hillspire', 'Idyllwild', 'Blue Arrow'Juniperus virginiana15–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8- Juniper — Eastern Red Cedar – 'Taylor'Juniperus virginiana20–25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
- Juniper — Rocky Mountain – 'Medora', 'Skyrocket', 'Woodward'Juniperus scopulorum15–25 ftlow waterUSDA 3–8
- Juniper — Rocky Mountain – 'Welchii', 'Gray Gleam', 'Cologreen', 'Wichita Blue', 'Moonglow'Juniperus scopulorum15–20 ftlow waterUSDA 3–8
Larch — European LarchLarix decidua40–70 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–6
Maackia — Amur MaackiaMaackia amurensis20–30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–7
Pine — Austrian 'Oregan Green'Pinus nigra40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8- Pine — Austrian – 'Arnold's Sentinel', 'Frank'Pinus nigra25–35 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Pine — BosnianPinus heldreichii30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7- Pine — Bosnian – 'Emerald Arrow'Pinus heldreichii20–30 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Pine — Eastern WhitePinus strobus50–80 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Pine — LacebarkPinus bungeana30–50 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 3–7
Pine — Mugo – 'Tannenbaum'Pinus mugo10–15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2–7
Pine — ScotchPinus sylvestris40–60 ftmedium waterUSDA 3–7
Pine — Singleleaf PinyonPinus monophylla15–30 ftlow waterUSDA 3–7
Pine — Swiss Stone PinePinus cembra30–40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–7Platinum 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 3–9Ruby 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
Scarlet firethornPyracantha coccinea6–12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5–9
Sea buckthornHippophae rhamnoides10–20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3–8
Sea Foam sageArtemisia versicolor 'Sea Foam'1 ftlow waterUSDA 3–9
Siberian pea shrubCaragana arborescens10–18 ftlow waterUSDA 2–7
SPANISH GOLD® broomCytisus purgans2–4 ftlow waterUSDA 5–8
Spruce — Black Hills 'Densata', 'Wiskey Blue Hills'Picea glauca25–40 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–6
Spruce — Norway – 'Cupressina'Picea abies25–30 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 2–7
Spruce — SerbianPicea omorika50–60 ftmedium to high waterUSDA 4–7
Sungari redbead cotoneasterCotoneaster racemiflorus var. soongoricus6–10 ftlow waterUSDA 4–7
TIDY Littleleaf peashrubCaragana microphylla 'Tidy'3–4 ftlow waterUSDA 2–7
Yellowwood — American YellowwoodCladrastis kentukea30–50 ftmedium waterUSDA 4–8
Frequently asked questions
- Which of these are Colorado native?
- 36 of the 91 plants are Colorado natives, including Apache plume, Big sagebrush, Cliff fendlerbush, and Cliff rose.
- How much water do these plants need?
- 66 of the 91 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 91 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
- 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