The Best-Suited Shade Trees for Pueblo, Colorado

Lindens

• The Colorado State Forest Services recommends planting the Littleleaf linden (Tilia cordata) if you live near or on the southeastern plains. Native to western Asia and Europe, this pyramid-shaped tree grows to 50 feet tall with a 30-foot canopy. It's hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8 and thrives in acidic soils. In spring, the Littleleaf linden blooms with yellow flowers. This deciduous shade tree comes in several varieties, including the "Chancellor," a 50-foot-tall cultivar with fragrant yellow and white flowers, and the "Rancho," a 35-foot-tall cultivar with glossy, dark foliage and an umbrella-shaped canopy. The American linden (T. americana) is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8 and grows to 65 feet tall. This native tree lives up to 150 years and turns yellow-green in fall.

Oaks

• Several oak species grow well in southeastern Colorado, says the Colorado State Forest Service. These include the burr oak (Quercus macrocarpa), an 80-foot-tall shade tree with a 30-foot canopy. This eastern U.S. native produces large acorns and has lustrous foliage that turns gold in autumn. It's hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 and thrives in wet to dry soil. The English oak grows even taller, reaching heights to 120 feet. This European native is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8 and has a rounded canopy. It has dark, long-lasting foliage.

Medium Shade Trees

• Shade trees up to 50 feet tall recommended for the Pueblo region include the Japanese pagoda tree (Sophora japonica). This Asian native has a mature height of 50 feet with a vase-shaped, rounded or umbrella-shaped canopy. It's hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9 and tolerates a range of pH levels. The Japanese pagoda tree blooms with aromatic white flowers in summer. Varieties include the "Pendula," a weeping cultivar that thrives in sunny, dry sites.

Large Shade Trees

• Shade trees for Pueblo that grow more than 50 feet tall include the hackberry (Celtis occidentalis), a North American native that's hardy in USDA zones 2 to 9. This 65-foot-tall tree has a rounded canopy and produces edible orange fruits. It tolerates a range of site conditions. The ginkgo or maidenhair tree (Ginkgo biloba) also grows well in Pueblo. This Chinese native is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9 and has light green foliage that turns yellow in autumn. It grows to 65 feet all and tolerates moist to dry soil.