Colorado Native Trees

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-Color denotes a tree that is rare or endangered

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State Tree: Colorado Blue Spruce

Colorado

The Centenneial State, 'Nothing without Providence'

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Picturing the landscape of Colorado

conjures images of the Rocky Mountains, high forests

of spruce and fir trees, snow capped mountain peaks,

raging rivers, and cold clear waters. The large

amount of preserved wilderness, particularly in

western Colorado, offers many quiet destinations for

a weekend, or week long, getaway. Under the big

blue sky of Colorado, the nature lover can enjoy a

cornucopia of activities. White water rafting at the

Arkansas Headwater, rock climbing at El Dorado

Canyon, skiing, ice fishing in winter, or less

Native Trees of Colorado

• Colorado Native Trees A to Z

• Colorado Tree Facts

• Colorado Tree Families and Species

• Endangered/Threatened Species

• Tree Nurseries in Colorado

strenuous activities such as watching for bald eagles, sailing, or hoping to hook the big one

at Spinny Mountain or Eleven Mile Reservoirs draw thousands of tourists every year.

Colorado should be on every outdoor enthusiast's list of top places to visit. There are

many unique gems found within its borders such as the Great Sand Dunes National Park,

where you can see the tallest dunes in North America towering 750 feet and in the northeast

corner of Crescent Meadows, you can walk through a rare forest of Douglas-fir and river

birch. If animals are more your interest, North Park bills itself as Colorado’s moose viewing

capital with a year round population of 600. In the winter, countless birds migrate to or

through Colorado, with some areas seeing as many as 350 different migrant or resident

species. Barr Lake, in Brighton, is a winter refuge for countless bald eagles and is said to

have over 200 nests. There are also millions of acres of land to explore within the

spectacular Rocky Mountains National Park or the Rio Grande National Forest, home of the

mighty Rio Grande River's headwaters. No matter what time of year, Colorado has no end

to its natural beauty. If you want to escape into high altitude verdant forests or prairies, ski

down pristine mountain slopes, or find adventures in between, Colorado is a must see.

The Colorado Blue Spruce,

Picea pungens, was designated the state

tree on March 7, 1939 for it's iconic and

stately form and silvery-blue needles.

Colorado Tree Facts

Forested acres: 24.4 million
Percent of land forested: 36%
Predominant forest type: Spruce-Fir
Number of State Parks: 44
Number of National Forests: 13
Number of Tree city USA communities: 92
Number of invasive trees/shrubs: 17 (see state list for noxious/invasive plants)
Damaging insects of high concern: Mountain Pine Beetle
Number of tree families in our collection: 15
Number of endangered or threatened species in our collection: 0

References:
Colorado State University-Colorado State Forest Service
Colorado.gov
National Park Service, http://www.fs.usda.gov/
EDDMapS. 2013. Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System. The University of Georgia - Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. Available online at http://www.eddmaps.org/; last accessed January 17, 2013.

Additional state resources:
Colorado Department of Personnel & Administrations
Colorado State Parks and Wildlife
USDA Forest Service, National Parks

Follow the links to view species native to Colorado. If the genus is not linked, species are listed on the family page.

Aceraceae, Maple
Betulaceae, Birch
     Alnus, Alder
     Betula, Birch
Bignoniaceae, Trumpet Creeper
     Catalpa, Catalpa
     Chilopsis, Desert Willow
Caprifoliaceae, Honeysuckle
    Sambucus, Elderberry
    Viburnum, Viburnum
Cupressaceae- Cypress
    Juniperus, Juniper

Colorado Tree Families and Genera

click to enlarge.

Useful information while browsing species:

• How to read a botanical name

• How to use our species boxes:

-Color denotes a tree that is rare or endangered

Please note: This is not a complete list of all native tree families and species found in Colorado. We are constantly working towards a more comprehensive list and will add families and their species as completed.

Additional Resources:

North American Native Tree Families
North American A to Z List by Scientific Name
North American A to Z List by Common Name

Fabaceae, Pea
Fagaceae, Beech
    Quercus, Oak
Juglandaceae, Walnut
    Juglans, Walnut
Moraceae, Mulberry
    Morus, Mulberry
Oleaceae, Olive Family
    Fraxinus, Ash
Pinaceae, Pine
    Abies, Fir
    Pinus, Pine
    Pseudotsuga, Douglas-fir

Rosaceae, Rose
    Crataegus, Hawthorn
    Malus, Crab-apple
    Prunus, Plum/Cherry
Rutaceae, Rue
Salicaceae, Willow
    Populus, Cottonwood
    Salix, Willow
Sapindaceae, Soapberry
Ulmaceae, Elm
    Celtis, Hackberry
    Ulmus, Elm

Colorado Endangered or Threatened Tree Species

Additional Resources:

North American Rare and Endangered Trees

External Links:
USDA PLANTS Database

This is not a comprehensive list but we are always working on adding more and will update accordingly.

There are no threatened or endangered Colorado native tree species.

Looking for a nursery near you?
Check out our nursery listing by county below!

Sorry, we do not currently have any tree nursery listings for this state. We do update these lists, so please check back.

treesforme.com Webutation

Tree lists:
•A-Z by scientific
name
•A-Z by common
name
•By Family

For state A-Z list click state name below.

This should come as no surprise as it is probably familiar to most as a

highly sought after Christmas tree. While the beauty of this native

species is well known, it is lesser known that the popularity of Blue

Spruce has given rise to more than 38 horticulture varieties.

Picea pungens typically grows at mid elevations in Colorado, between

6,000 feet in the north and up to 11,000 feet in the southern part of its

range. Blue spruce is a long lived tree with some individual trees

estimated to be near 600 years old. Even the tallest blue spruce usually

doesn't exceed 100 feet tall, but the champion, which just happens to be

The wood of Colorado blue spruce, is lightweight, resinous, and soft. Because of

those properties, and its tendency to grow only in small groves, is not valued

commercially as a timber species. It is however, valued as an ornamental tree and

is often planted in places of prominence in parks or in front of state buildings, and

makes a good landscaping tree for residential use. Despite the shallow root

systems, blue spruce are surprisingly wind firm and are often used as windbreaks.

An ideal habitat for Picea pungens is slightly humid, like near steams, with cool

summers and between 20 to 45 inches of annual rainfall. Learn More

Blue Spruce, Picea pungens, Native Colorado Distribution Map

in Colorado, is 126

feet tall. The trunks

are typically 1 to 2

feet in diameter.

Colorado distribution map, courtesy USDA PLANTS Database