Low-water trees for the Colorado Front Range
Quick answer
107 plants make our list of low-water trees for the Colorado Front Range. Examples include 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' Pine, Bigtooth Maple (species), Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple, Bristlecone (foxtail) Pine, and Gambel Oak. Each is rated for Colorado Front Range conditions and drawn from the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List and regional extension references.
These trees thrive on the Front Range with little supplemental irrigation once established, a smart choice for Colorado's semi-arid climate, water restrictions, and unpredictable summers. Every tree below is rated low or low-to-medium water on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List.
Planning a whole xeriscape? See the xeriscape plants for Colorado list, trees through groundcovers.
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Compare these trees at a glance
| Plant | Mature height | Water | Colorado native | Hardiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' Pine | 25 to 30 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4 to 7 |
| Bigtooth Maple (species) | 20 to 30 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 |
| Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple | 30 to 40 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 2 to 9 |
| Bristlecone (foxtail) Pine | 15 to 30 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4 to 7 |
| Gambel Oak | 15 to 30 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 |
| Limber Pine | 30 to 50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4 to 7 |
| Lodgepole Pine | 30 to 50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 7 |
| Narrowleaf Poplar (cottonwood) | 30 to 50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 |
| One-seed Juniper | 10 to 20 ft | low water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 |
| Peachleaf Willow | 25 to 50 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 8 |
| Pinyon Pine | 15 to 30 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 4 to 8 |
| Ponderosa Pine | 60 to 100 ft | low to medium water | Yes | USDA 3 to 7 |
Ordered Colorado-native first, then alphabetically, not a quality ranking. Full list below.
All 107 plants
'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' PinePinus flexilis25 to 30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 7
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
Bristlecone (foxtail) PinePinus aristata15 to 30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 7
Gambel OakQuercus gambelii15 to 30 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8- Limber PinePinus flexilis30 to 50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 7
Lodgepole PinePinus contorta30 to 50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 7
Narrowleaf Poplar (cottonwood)Populus angustifolia30 to 50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
One-seed JuniperJuniperus monosperma10 to 20 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Peachleaf WillowSalix amygdaloides25 to 50 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Pinyon PinePinus edulis15 to 30 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
Ponderosa PinePinus ponderosa60 to 100 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 7
Rocky Mountain Juniper (species)Juniperus scopulorum15 to 30 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 8
Southwestern White PinePinus strobiformis50 to 70 ftlow to medium waterColorado nativeUSDA 3 to 7
Wavyleaf OakQuercus undulata6 to 15 ftlow waterColorado nativeUSDA 4 to 8
'Blue Point' JuniperJuniperus chinensis8 to 12 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
'Frontier' ElmUlmus minor x U. parvifolia40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
'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
'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
Adirondack CrabappleMalus 'Adirondack'15 to 18 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
American ElmUlmus americana50 to 70 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2 to 9
American HophornbeamOstrya virginiana25 to 40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
Amur MaackiaMaackia amurensis20 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 7
Amur/Ginnala MapleAcer tataricum subsp. ginnala15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
Arizona CypressHesperocyparis arizonica30 to 50 ftlow waterUSDA 7 to 10- Arizona Cypress 'Blue Ice'Hesperocyparis arizonica20 to 30 ftlow waterUSDA 7 to 10
Bartlett PearPyrus15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Bechtel 'Plena' CrabappleMalus ioensis15 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
Black WalnutJuglans nigra50 to 75 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
BRANDYWINE® CrabappleMalus x 'Branzam'15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Bur OakQuercus macrocarpa60 to 80 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
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 CatalpaCatalpa ovata20 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Chinese JuniperJuniperus chinensis15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
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 ChokecherryPrunus virginiana15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2 to 7
Common HackberryCeltis occidentalis40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9- CORALBURST® CrabappleMalus x 'Coralcole'8 to 15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
David ElmUlmus davidiana40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9- Dolgo CrabappleMalus 'Dolgo'30 to 40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Downy HawthornCrataegus mollis25 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Eastern Red Cedar Juniper (Hillspire)Juniperus virginiana15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8- Eastern Red Cedar Juniper (Taylor)Juniperus virginiana20 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
English 'Columnaris' OakQuercus robur45 to 55 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- English OakQuercus robur40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
- Gladiator CrabappleMalus 'Gladiator'15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Globe 'Navajo' WillowSalix matsudana15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8- Golden Raindrops® CrabappleMalus x 'Schmidtcutleaf'15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Goldenrain treeKoelreuteria paniculata25 to 35 ftlow waterUSDA 5 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- Indian Magic CrabappleMalus 'Indian Magic'15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
- Jack™ PearPyrus calleryana12 to 15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Japanese LilacSyringa reticulata15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 7- Kentucky CoffeetreeGymnocladus dioicus60 to 75 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 8
- Louisa CrabappleMalus 'Louisa'12 to 15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
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
Mugo PinePinus mugo10 to 15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 2 to 7- NORTHERN EMPRESS® ElmUlmus davidiana var. japonica25 to 30 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Northern/Western CatalpaCatalpa speciosa40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
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
Osage Orange 'White Shield'Maclura pomifera30 to 40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Peking LilacSyringa reticulata subsp. pekinensis15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 7- Prairie Rose CrabappleMalus 'Prairie Rose'15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
- Prairiefire CrabappleMalus 'Prairiefire'15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Princess Kay Flowering PlumPrunus nigra 'Princess Kay'10 to 15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Radiant CrabappleMalus 'Radiant'15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
- Red Barron CrabappleMalus 'Red Barron'15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
- Rocky Mountain Juniper (Medora)Juniperus scopulorum15 to 25 ftlow waterUSDA 3 to 8
- Rocky Mountain Juniper (Welchii)Juniperus scopulorum15 to 20 ftlow waterUSDA 3 to 8
- ROYAL RAINDROPS® CrabappleMalus 'JFS-KW5'15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Russian HawthornCrataegus ambigua15 to 20 ftlow waterUSDA 4 to 8
Sargent CrabappleMalus sargentii6 to 10 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8- Sargent Tina CrabappleMalus sargentii 'Tina'4 to 5 ftlow to medium 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
Shingle OakQuercus imbricaria50 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Shumard OakQuercus shumardii40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 9
Singleleaf Pinyon PinePinus monophylla15 to 30 ftlow waterUSDA 3 to 7- Spring Snow CrabappleMalus 'Spring Snow'20 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
SUCKER PUNCH® ChokecherryPrunus x 'P002S' (PP25,767)8 to 15 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Sugar Maple (Caddo John Pair)Acer saccharum40 to 50 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Swiss Stone PinePinus cembra30 to 40 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 7
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 Buckeye (Western Buckeye)Aesculus glabra var. arguta15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 7
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
- Thunderchild CrabappleMalus 'Thunderchild'15 to 20 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
TRIUMPH® ElmUlmus x 'Morton Glossy'50 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 9
Turkish Filbert/HazelnutCorylus colurna40 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
Ussurian PearPyrus ussuriensis15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 8
White OakQuercus alba50 to 80 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 3 to 9
YellowhornXanthoceras sorbifolium15 to 25 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 4 to 7
Zelkova serrataZelkova serrata50 to 60 ftlow to medium waterUSDA 5 to 8
Printable version: The Front Range Low-Water Tree Field Guide (PDF), free, no email needed.
Frequently asked questions
- How big do these trees get?
- Mature heights range from about 4 to 100 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?
- 15 of the 107 trees are Colorado natives, including 'Vanderwolf's Pyramid' Pine, Bigtooth Maple (species), Boxelder 'Sensation' Maple, and Bristlecone (foxtail) Pine.
- How much water do these plants need?
- Every plant here is rated low or low-to-medium water on the 2024 Front Range Tree Recommendation List once established, water-wise choices for Colorado's semi-arid climate.
- 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.
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