Chinkapin Oak
Quercus muehlenbergii – Chinkapin Oak
40-50’h x 40-50’w Cold-hardy to USDA zone 5
This handsome spreading oak has proved very successful locally, grows faster than other oaks, tolerates our alkaline soils, and resists oak gall insects. It makes an excellent, long-lived shade tree with strong branching. The attractive foliage has yellow to russet fall color.
Quercus undulata – Wavyleaf Oak
8-15’h x 8-10’w Hardy to USDA zone 4, 9,000’ elevation
A drought-tolerant Southwest (including CO) native oak with small leaves varying in shape,color and size, a natural hybrid of Gambel Oak and Turbinella Oak, occurring where their native ranges overlap. The small leaves usually have wavy margins. This small tree fits into any naturalistic dry garden and its shrubby, irregular form can be selectively pruned to emphasize character. Flowers are insignificant, but small acorns are borne in clusters. Thrives in lean, well-drained soils, and is usually deciduous in Colorado.
Gambel Oak
Quercus gambelii – Gambel Oak
12-25’h x 12-20’w Cold-hardy to USDA zone 3, 8,000’ elevation
A very drought-tolerant, small CO native shrub or tree with attractive leathery, deciduous leaves and small acorns. It is an important ‘keystone species’, providing significant ecosystem services to wildlife, butterflies, insects and birds. With more water, Gambel Oak often suckers to form a colony that stabilizes slopes, but can be kept to a single trunk by removing suckers and watering less. Fall color is usually gold, with occasional orange or red. Grow in full sun in most soil types, including clay.
Prunus ‘Sucker Punch’ Red Chokecherry (PP#25767)
20-25’h x 15-20’w Cold-hardy to USDA zone 3
This is a beautiful, red-leafed chokecherry tree that does not sucker! Foliage emerges green, changing to red-purple as the season progresses. Conical clusters of white flowers in late spring bring bees, followed in mid August by dark purple chokecherries that are relished by birds. A natural hybrid with our native chokecherry, but not a true native. Plant Select introduction 2019.
Goldenrain Tree
Koelreuteria paniculata – Goldenrain Tree
20-30’h x 20-30’w Cold-hardy to USDA zone 5
A distinctive, summer-blooming ornamental small shade tree from China, Korea and Japan. Attractive pinnately compound leaves emerge red-purple and mature to green. In early July, very showy, large, branched panicles of small golden-yellow flowers bloom. These develop into decorative papery ‘Chinese lantern’ pods that persist well into fall. And for it’s third act, it puts on a rich fall color display of golds and russets. Goldenrain tree is very drought-tolerant and grows in most soils, including clay. Be prepared to weed out some seedlings.