Trees For Greeley
Choosing the right tree can be difficult. Choosing the location, however, is the most important and crucial aspect.
In order to plant trees or shrubs upon public rights-of-way, a permit must be obtained prior to planting. Click here to learn more about and submit a Landscaping Permit online, LANDSCAPE PLANTING PERMIT.
Now available is an ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO PLANTING TREES with step-by-step instructions and photos depicting the procedures involved in planting balled and burlapped trees.
There are many factors to consider when selecting a tree. Consider spring flower color, fruit, fall leaf color, bark texture, winter appeal, wildlife appeal, seed drop, height, spread, water requirements, and susceptibility to insects or disease. Trees are listed by name, then followed by (Height X Spread).
Ornamental tree vs. Shade tree
We now have a printable version of recommended trees for Greeley!
Shade Trees
** Indicates drought-tolerant trees
Canadian Red Cherry (30X20)
Broad oval shape with burgundy-red leaf color in summer, white flowers in May and small purple fruit.
Golden Raintree** (25X20)
Broad rounded form with showy yellow fragrant flowers covering tree in mid summer, needs protection.
Hackberry** (50X40)
Upright branches arch to create a high canopy of rounded habit. Blocky bark is light gray with knobby ridges.
Catalpa** (50X40)
A fast growing drought tolerant tree with large heart-shaped leaves. Large tubular white flowers in late June. Fruit is a long brown pod.
Mayday Tree (30X20)
Rounded form with fragrant white flowers and black fruit, fall color ranges from yellow to bronze-red, good for birds.
Elms (50X30)
These fast growing vase shaped trees are chosen for resistance to Dutch Elm Disease. Select varieties include Triumph, Accolade, Discovery, Brandon, Regal, and Prospector.
Eastern Redbud (30X20)
Broad rounded form with magenta color, early blooms, heart-shaped foliage turns yellow in fall, needs protection.
Swamp White Oak (50X40)
Broad rounded form with oblong oval leaves, clay soil can be a problem for this tree.
Ohio Buckeye** (35X20)
Globe-shaped tree with yellow to orange to reddish brown fall color.
Bur Oak** (65X50)
Broad rounded form with rough furrowed bark, glossy lobed leaves turning yellow to red in fall.
English Oak** (50X40)
Rounded pyramidal form with dark gray deep furrowed bark, clay soil can be a problem for this tree.
Imperial Honeylocust (40X30)
Symmetrical compact variety with gold fall foliage, works better in smaller areas than other Honeylocusts.
Shademaster Honeylocust** (50X40)
Broad oval tree with dense ascending branches, fine yellow fall color.
Skyline Honeylocust (50X40)
Distinct upright pyramidal form with uniform branching and dark green foliage.
Greenspire Linden (40X30)
Dense formal shape with very fragrant flowers in June to July, dark green leaves with yellow fall color.
Kentucky Coffeetree** (50X40)
Open spreading crown with fragrant white flowers and mahogany-colored seed pods.
Redmond Linden (45X40)
Pyramidal form with large dark green leaves and fragrant yellow flower clusters in June to July.
Ornamental Trees
Sunrise Park ** Indicates drought-tolerant trees
Toba Hawthorn (15X15)
Broad rounded shape with white flowers in late May, some problems with Hawthorn Rust
Amur Chokecherry (25X20)
Rounded form with fragrant white flowers and small black fruit, good for birds but does not perform well in very heavy clay soil
Russian Hawthorn** (20X15)
Small attractive, broad-headed tree, small thorns and deep lobed leaves, gnarled branching form
Washington Hawthorn** (20X15)
Rounded form with clusters of white flowers in May, scarlet-orange fall color, abundant thorns
Cockspur Hawthorn** (20X15)
Sharp red thorns with white flowers in early summer, good wildlife tree
Thornless Hawthorn** (25X20)
Thornless variety with good resistance to fireblight, clusters of white flowers in late May
Downy Hawthorn** (25X25)
2" long thorns with showy white flowers in May, rust may be a problem
Japanese Tree Lilac** (20X20)
Prolific bearer of creamy white fragrant flowers in mid-June
Coralburst Crabapple (15X15)
Ruby-red flower buds open to semi-double pink flowers, good fireblight resistance
Dolgo Crabapple (30X30)
Large tart fruit makes good jelly, white flowers, good resistance to fireblight
Spring Snow Crabapple (25X25)
Fruitless, white flowers, fair to good fireblight resistance
Newport Plum (25X15)
Fragrant pink flowers with maroon-red foliage, plums are edible
Autumn Blaze Pear (30X25)
Horizontal branching, producing a wide, rounded form. Clusters of showy white flowers appear in spring before the leaves emerge.
Autumn Brilliance Serviceberry (25X15)
Rounded habit with white flowers in April, tasty purplish-black fruit, bright orange-red fall color
Evergreen Trees
A young Bristlecone Pine** Indicates drought-tolerant trees
Colorado Blue Spruce (60X30)Colorado State Tree, symmetrical, pyramidal native, requires regular water
Pinyon Pine** (20X15)Slow-growing, bushy pine, edible seeds in cones, do not over water
Bristlecone Pine** (20X20)Slow-growing native, very drought-tolerant once established
Concolor Fir, White Fir (50X30)Conical evergreen with long soft bluish-green needles, offers a good change from Blue Spruce
Eastern Red Cedar** (40X15)Spreading to upright Juniper, good for windbreaks or shelter belts, tolerates wide range of soils and conditions
Austrian Pine** (50X40)Dense pine with uniform crown, becoming open with age, can become chlorotic in heavy soils
Rocky Mountain Juniper** (30X15)Pyramidal typically, but can become mounding shrub with multiple stems, tolerates many varied conditions
Ponderosa Pine** (60X30)Large open-growing pine with long yellow-green needles, very drought tolerant
Scots Pine** (60X30)Reddish-orange bark with well-branched pyramidal shape, blue-green needles and gray to reddish-brown cones
For information on trees
not recommended as street trees, public right-of-way
planting specifications, and
trees to avoid; visit our
planting specifications page.
Contact Us
Feel free to contact us regarding the information provided above or drop us an email with your questions, comments, or concerns to:
Greeley Forestry Program Office Administrator