shade tree's in Denver

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Hopefully not getting more Silver Maples

No, we got some shrubs for the front yard.

Originally Posted by insahmniak

Want to plant a heritage tree? Check out the tree on E 1st Ave between Elm and Eudora (near Cranmer Park/Hilltop). I've been told it's an English oak. Dense shade. Gorgeous form. Absolutely stunning.

Denver Botanic Gardens has an impressive oak grove. Oak do take longer to get going, but replacing a large junk tree after it starts to fall apart also has a price.

Regardless of what you choose, don't make the mistake of planting a large-caliper tree. Small whips get established quicker and will outpace larger transplants.

All right already!

I will say, we tried an oak, it didn't grow well, needed lots of water (oaks are eastern trees) and died.

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Katiana

No, we got some shrubs for the front yard.



All right already!

I will say, we tried an oak, it didn't grow well, needed lots of water (oaks are eastern trees) and died.

Some oak need a lot of water but Bur, White Swamp, Texas Red, and Swamp Chestnut Oaks are all xeric trees. Very low water requirments.

[GraniteStater]

Silver Maple trees actually grow in floodplain zones along rivers in the eastern US. In moderate climates with less wind they do quite well. I don't think they are a great fit west of the Mississippi River, though. The house I lived in growing up had Silver Maple trees in the yard, and they lost lots of branches in storms, but did provide good shade.

[Geork]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Terrible trees. They do grow very fast which is why so many were planted, but they have very weak wood and rot from the inside leading to many broken branches during snow storms. They are a banned tree in Denver because of this.

As far as shade trees go, I am partial to Oaks. There are several good varieties, but i have had good luck at 2 properties planting the Bur Oak. It is considered xeric in its water needs. It grows very large. The only downside to this tree is that it is very slow to grow. It does produce acorns, but I don't mind that.

For a faster growing tree that needs very little water, the Honey Locust is a nice tree. I have also had good luck with the Hackberry trees.

Denver has a very good list of shade trees. I'll find it and post it in this thread shortly.

Edit: Here is the City of Denver approved street tree list. It is a great resource. http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/747...tree_guide.pdf

Best post, thanks! Just moved to Denver, will use! Thanks again!

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by SkyDog77

Some oak need a lot of water but Bur, White Swamp, Texas Red, and Swamp Chestnut Oaks are all xeric trees. Very low water requirments.

This oak site I pulled up says Bur Oaks' habitat is stream banks and bottomlands, that is, areas with a good water supply. White Swamps' habitat is wetlands. Texas red is not listed, and Swamp Chestnut Oaks' habitat is wetlands as well.
Comparison of oak features

[SkyDog77]

Originally Posted by Katiana

This oak site I pulled up says Bur Oaks' habitat is stream banks and bottomlands, that is, areas with a good water supply. White Swamps' habitat is wetlands. Texas red is not listed, and Swamp Chestnut Oaks' habitat is wetlands as well.
Comparison of oak features

Look at the City of Denver's forestry list that I posted. It has water requirements for each tree. This is much more specific than your habitat list which does not speak to adaptability. I promise that they did not just make this stuff up.


Google Bur Oak water requirement. You will find information like this:


"Bur oak grows both on moist, bottomland sites and on dry, upland sites. It grows naturally in areas with precipitation ranging from 15 inches to 50 inches annually."

"bur oak is very drought resistant"

"Bur oak does not tolerate flooding or saturated soils well. As mentioned earlier, bur oak is very drought tolerant. Bur oak also tolerates urban pollution well. Its tolerance of harsh conditions and many types of stresses makes bur oak a very long-lived tree, and ages of several hundred years are not uncommon."

"Habitats: Prairies; open woods; sandy ridges; stream edges. Widely distributed and capable of withstanding a wide range of harsh conditions (one of the most drought resistant oaks)"

"The taproot of young bur oaks rapidly penetrates into the soil, sometimes growing more than one meter deep in the first growing season. This early root development, along with high water-use efficiency, may explain why bur oak can pioneer on droughty sites and can successfully establish itself in competition with prairie shrubs and grasses. The trees are slow-growing but long-lived and may reach ages approaching 1000 years."


There is a lot more.....

[mic111]

Honey locust are a great tree for Denver. The little tiny leaves are easy to deal with in the fall and they don't hold the snow as much when we get an early snow so less breakage.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by mic111

Honey locust are a great tree for Denver. The little tiny leaves are easy to deal with in the fall and they don't hold the snow as much when we get an early snow so less breakage.

Well, be careful b/c some of them are on the City of Denver "bad" list.

[scrapper105]

Thanks for this thread. We desperately need some shade but first have to figure out the HOA process for planting new trees !

[1AngryTaxPayer]

I used to do this when I lived in Denver. If you need a bigger tree try an outfit with a large tree spade.

Big Tree Mover, small,large, and giant trees and tree spades