by J.E. Klett and E. Hammond** (9/17)
Quick Facts…
- Consider available space, protection, growth rate and soil adaptability when selecting small trees.
- If space allows, several kinds of small trees provide varied foliage, flowers, bark, fruit and fall color for year round interest.
- Make sure the water requirements of the tree match the conditions at your site.
- Look for new varieties of small trees that are continually introduced.
Selection and Planting
Examine the proposed site before planting trees. Allow adequate width to keep walkways, entryways, driveways or buildings clear of overhanging branches. Many small trees, although short, can spread as much laterally as vertically.
Soil. Most trees perform best in well drained soil. Dig a saucer-shaped hole that is 2 to 3 times the width of the root ball. Remove soil from the top of the rootball to expose the root flare, if not visible. When planting, make sure first root is at or one or two inches above grade.
Color and texture. For variety, plant several kinds of trees if space allows. Through careful selection, you can have flowers, colorful and interesting bark and fruits, varied foliage texture, and fall colors for year round interest. Coordinate with other plants and elements of your overall landscape design.
Water. Match the plant with the moisture conditions of the site. Low-moisture trees planted in an irrigated lawn grow too fast. On the other hand, trees that require moderate to heavy moisture do poorly in areas where little or no supplemental water can be applied.
Protection. Microclimate sites protected by buildings, fences and larger trees offer greater opportunities for tree selection than open, exposed locations.
Recommended Trees
Table 1 includes small trees that are useful for privacy screening as well as landscape interest. Most can be used beneath power lines with little or no need for pruning to maintain clearance. For information on larger trees, see fact sheet 7.419, Large Deciduous Trees. The key to symbols used in the table is given below.
Growth rate:
- f = fast
- m = moderate
- s = slow
Soil moisture:
- L = low-water needs; can withstand drought.
- M = moderate water needs; normal lawn watering.
- H = heavy water needs; more than normal lawn watering.
<td<>M-LLarge white flowers, exfolaiting brown bark, can be tree or shrub from.
| Table 1: Small deciduous trees for privacy and color. | ||||||
| Plant Name | Height (ft.) |
Spread (ft.) |
Shape | Growth Rate |
Soil Moisture |
Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acer campestre Hedge maple |
25 | 25 | Rounded | m | M | Dark green leaves, yellow fall color, tolerant of alkaline soils. |
| Acer ginnala Amur maple |
20 | 15 | Broad, spreading | m | H | Available as single-stemmed tree or multi-stemmed shrub; scarlet fall color; avoid alkaline soils. |
| Acer glabrum Rocky Mountain maple |
15 | 15 | Upright, Oval | m | M | Native, small tree or large shrub, gray bark, yellow fall color, bright red winter buds. |
| Acer grandidentatum Wasatch maple |
25 | 15 | Broad, spreading | m | L | Survives in dry sites once established; orange–red fall color, more difficult to establish. |
| Acer tataricum Tatarian mapleHot Wings® Maple |
20
20 |
20
20 |
Irregular, rounded
Rounded, |
m
m |
L
M |
Single or multi-stemmed tree, pink to red winged seeds in summer, yellow fall color, tolerant of alkaline soils, more adaptable than Amur maple.
Red-winged seeds in summer, very ornamental. Orange-red fall color. |
| Alnus tenuifolia Thinleaf alder |
15 | 12 | Upright, oval | m | H | Use in moist sites; cone-like fruit clusters persist in winter, tend to form clumps. |
| Amelanchier canadensis Shadblow serviceberry |
25 | 20 | Upright, rounded | m | M | Showy, white flowers in spring; red fruits attract birds, red-orange fall color. |
| Amelanchier x grandiflora ‘Autumn Brillance’ Autumn Brilliance serviceberry |
20 | 15 | Rounded | m | M | White flowers, red to purple fruit, orange to red fall color, single-stemmed tree or multi-stemmed shrub. |
| Betula occidentalis Rocky Mountain or water birch |
20 | 15 | Upright, rounded | m | H | Use in moist soils; yellow fall color, tends to form clumps, cherry-brown bark. |
| Carpinus caroliniana American hornbeam |
25 | 25 | Rounded, spreading | s-m | M | Low branched smooth gray bark, “muscled” branches, yellow-orange fall color. |
| Cercis canadensis Eastern redbud |
25 | 25 | Upright, spreading | m | M | Early pink flowers along twig before foliage; plant in part shade, heart shaped leaves. |
| Cornus alternifolia Pagoda dogwood |
20 | 20 | Rounded | m | M | Horizontal branching, creamy-white flowers followed by blue-black fruit, red to purple fall color. |
| Cornus mas Cornelian cherry dogwood |
20 | 15 | Rounded | m | M | Early yellow flowers before foliage, bright red fruit in summer. |
| Corylus colurna Turkish filbert |
40 | 35 | Pyramidal | m | M | Dark green leaves turn yellow in fall. Adaptable to many soils. |
| Crataegus ambigua Russian hawthorn |
20 | 15 | Upright, spreading | m | L | Finely cut, glossy leaves; white flowers; persistent, red fruit. |
| Crataegus crus-galli Cockspur hawthorn var. inermis Thornless cockspur hawthorn |
20
15 |
20
15 |
Broad rounded
Broad, rounded |
m
m |
L
L |
Showy, white flowers; red fruit; glossy foliage; thorny; attract birds.
Thornless, other characteristics same as species. |
| Crataegus mollis Downy hawthorn |
25 | 20 | Broad globe | m | M | Showy, white flowers in spring; red fruit in late summer; bronze fall color, stout thorns. |
| Crataegus phaenopyrum Washington hawthorn |
20 | 15 | Upright, spreading | m | M | White flowers; showy, orange-red fruit; red-orange fall color; narrow thorns. |
| Crataegus viridis ‘Winter King’ Winter King hawthorn |
20 | 20 | Broad, spreading |
m | L | White flowers followed by persistent red fruit. Few thorns. |
| Crataegus x mordenensis ‘Toba’ Toba hawthorn |
15 | 15 | Rounded | m | M | Fragrant, double, white flowers, age to pink; red fruit, short thorns. |
| Euonymus bungeanus Winterberry |
20 | 18 | Rounded | m | M | Horizontal to pendulous branching, yellow to red fall color, pink fruit capsules open to reveal orange seeds. |
| Euonymus europaeus European euonymus |
15 | 15 | Rounded | m | M | Pink to red fruit capsules open to expose orange seeds. Red to purple fall color. |
| Koelreuteria paniculata Goldenrain tree |
25 | 20 | Upright, rounded | m | L | Best grown on dry sites to avoid fast, brittle branch growth; large panicles of yellow flowers in summer; Chinese lantern-like pods. |
| Malus spp. Crabapple |
Varies | Varies | Varies | m-f | M-L | Many varieties available. |
| ‘Adirondack’ | 15 | 8 | Upright | m-f | M-L | Good for small spaces, red flower buds to white flowers, orange red fruit. |
| ‘Brandywine®‘ | 20 | 20 | Rounded | m-f | M-L | Double pink flowers, large green fruit. More resistant to fireblight than ‘Bechtel.’ |
| ‘Centurion,’ | 20 | 10 | Upright | m-f | M-L | Pink to red flowers; red fruit; red to bronze foliage. |
| ‘Coralburst® ‘ | 15 | 15 | Rounded | m-f | M-L | Red buds open to semi- double pink flowers, few bronze fruit. Resistant to fireblight. |
| ‘David’ | 15 | 15 | Rounded | m-f | M-L | Pink buds open to white flowers, yellow-red fruit matures to red. Resistant to fireblight. |
| ‘Dolgo’ | 30 | 25 | Spreading | m-f | M-L | White flowers; crimson fruit, yellow bark, resistant to fireblight. |
| ‘Indian Summer’ | 15 | 15 | Rounded | m-f | M-L | Rose-red flowers, red fruits. Resistant to fireblight. |
| ‘Prairie fire’ | 20 | 20 | Upright, spreading | m-f | M-L | Purple-red leaves turn green. Pink flowers. Dark red persistent fruit. |
| ‘Radiant’ | 20 | 20 | Rounded | m-f | M-L | Single, pink-red flowers; red-purple fruit. |
| ‘Red Barron’ | 18 | 10 | Columnar | m-f | M-L | Purple folliage turns bronze-red. Red flowers produce dark persistent fruit. |
| sargentii ‘Tina’ | 8 | 10 | Spreading | m-f | M-L | Dwarf, red buds open to white flowers, red fruit. |
| Spring Snow’ | 20 | 15 | Upright, rounded | m-f | M-L | White flowers, usually fruitless; dense foliage; yellow bark. |
| Populus tremuloides Quaking aspen |
30 | 15 | Upright, columnar |
f | M | Best in moist well drained soil; pest prone and shorter lived at lower Front Range elevations and in heavy soils; root suckkers form clumps. |
| Prunus cerasifera ‘Newport’ Newport plum |
20 | 20 | Upright, rounded | m-f | M | Pinkish-white flowers followed by maroon-red foliage; avoid wet sites. |
| Prunus maackii Amur chokecherry |
25 | 25 | Upright, rounded | m | M | Striking, shiny, orange-red bark; white flowers, black fruit, avoid heavy soils. |
| Prunus nigra ‘Princess Kay’ Princess Kay plum |
15 | 10 | Upright, vase | m | M | Double white flowers before leaves, orange-red fall color, dark brown-black bark. |
| Prunus padus var. commutata Mayday Tree |
30 | 15 | Rounded | m | M | Fragrant chains of white flowers in spring; purple-black fruit. |
| Prunus virginiana ‘Shubert’ Canada red chokecherry |
25 | 20 | Rounded | f | M | New green growth turns purple-red, white flowers, purple fruit, suckers like aspen. |
| Ptelea trifoliata Wafer ash, Hoptree |
15 | 15 | Rounded | m | M-L | Native multi-stemmed tree, persistent wafer-like fruit, golden-yellow fall color. |
| Pyrus calleryana Callery pear’Autum Blaze”Chanticleer®‘ or ‘Cleveland Select’ ‘Redspire’ |
Varies
30
25
25 |
Varies
15
15
10 |
Varies
Pyramidal, rounded
Pyramidal, upright
Pyramidal, upright |
m
m
m
m |
M
M
M
M |
Good cold hardiness, white flowers, crimson fall color.
White flowers, red-purple fall color. Large white flower clusters, crimson-purple fall color. |
| Pyrus ussuriensis ‘Prairie Gem’ Prairie Gem pear |
20 | 18 | Rounded | m | M-L | Yellowish-brown bark, many white flowers, thick glossy green leaves, golden-yellow fall color. |
| Quercus gambelii Gambel oak |
15 | 10 | Upright, clump | s | L | Forms groves by creeping roots; often shrubby; needs well-drained soil; golden-yellow fall color. |
| Robinia pseudoacacia ‘Purple Robe’ Purple Robe locust |
30 | 25 | Upright, rounded | f | M-L | Bronze-red new foliage turns blue-green, showy dark rose-pink flowers, can have small thorns, subject to locust borer and branch breakage. |
| Sorbus aucuparia European mountain ash’Cardinal Royal’ |
20
25 |
15
15 |
Oval
Narrow oval |
m
m |
M
M |
Smooth gray-brown bark, malodorous white flowers, persistent orange-red fruit, yellow to red-purple fall color.
Straight trunk, dark green leaves turn russet-red in fall, red fruit, best in well drained soils. |
| Syringa pekinensis Pekin lilac |
15 | 15 | Upright Rounded |
m | M-L | Large white flowers, exfolaiting brown bark, can be tree or shrub from. |
| Syringa reticulata Japanese tree lilac
‘Ivory Silk’ |
20
15 |
20
15 |
Rounded
Compact, oval |
m
m |
M
M |
Creamy panicles of fragrant flowers in late spring, red-brown shredding bark.
Creamy white flowers, cherry-like bark. |
*J.E. Klett, Colorado State University Extension landscape horticulturist and professor, horticulture and landscape architecture; and E. Hammond, Extension horticulture agent, Adams County. C. Wilson, retired Extension horticulture agent, Denver County, contributed to original content of fact sheet. 9/92. Revised 9/17.
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