by Dave Logan
Trees are wonderful for many reasons. They provide shade, privacy, changing colors, windbreaks, great views, and home to birds and other wildlife. Here in Denver, we enjoy over 300 sunny days per year, both very hot and very cold temperatures, wind, dry air, low rain, and significant snowfalls. Sometimes we can experience three seasons in the course of a week! Another consequence of our weather here in Denver is hard, compacted soild that doesn’t drain well. All of the above means we need to be somewhat scrupulous when choosing the best trees for our Denver, Colorado climate.
You definitely want to consider how tall and wide your tree will be when it’s full grown. Most people we talk to in Denver gravitate toward something fast-growing so they can achieve shade and privacy quickly. This makes good sense in that respect, but we like to remind our Denver friends that faster-growing trees are also more susceptible to storm damage, insects, and disease. Maybe not the ideal choice of tree for Denver, at least not for the long term. A few examples of soft-wood, fast-growing trees are the American Sycamore, the Red Mulberry, the Willow Hybrid, the Weeping Willow, and Scarlet Red Maples. If you do require a fast-growing tree, we recommend doing a little research of your own to find out what the best options are for Denver and Colorado.
In terms of tree sizes, there are of course many options for large, medium, and small trees that are very well suited to Denver. For large trees, look at the Colorado Spruce or Douglas Fir. For a medium shade tree, you might like the Scotch Pine or Norway Spruce. And if you’re looking for a smaller tree to plant, consider lilacs, bristlecones, or a European mountain ash.
Whatever you decide, do your homework so you pick trees that are great for our Denver climate. You want them to be around for many years so you and your family can enjoy all that they bring.
For more helpful information on these and other home improvement projects, check in often with the TDL Blog. And don’t forget to visit TeamDaveLogan.com to find a trusted home improvement professional in Denver and Boulder that will help you with your next project!
