COMMERCE CITY APPROVED PLANT AND TREE LIST
PLANTING SPECIFICATIONS – EVERGREEN TREES
2 PLANTING SPECIFICATIONS – DECIDUOUS TREES
3 PLANTING SPECIFICATIONS – SHRUBS
4 INVASIVE PLANTS AND ALTERNATIVES Please do not plant these invasive non-native Instead, try a visually similar native plant: species:
Purple Loostrife Fireweed Spotted Gayfeather Beebalm Lewis Flax Myrtle Spurge or Mercer’s Spurge Sulfur flower Bearberry or Kinnikinnick Russian Olive Peachleaf Willow Tamarisk Rabbitbush Leadplant Thimbleberry Wax Currant Bouncing Bet or Soapwart Native Penstemon Native White Yarrow Rocky Mountain Beeplant Dame’s Rocket or Sweet Rocket Native Blue Columbine Harebell Perennial Sweet Pea Western Virgin’s Bower Dalmatian Toadflax, Butter & Eggs or Yellow Golden Banner Toadflax Wallflower Scarlet Gilia Mediterranean Sage Pussy Toes Native Sage Ox-Eye Daisy Native Daisies Black-Eyed Susan Blanket Flower
5 PROHIBITED TREES IN COMMERCE CITY
(Species Not Recommended Due to Undesirable Characteristic) Boxelder Acer negundo) Silver Maple Acer saccharinum) Tree-of-Heaven Ailanthus altissima) Birch Betula species) Russian Olive Elaeagnus angustifolia) Ash, American or Green cvs Fraxinus species) Honey Locust, Thorny Gleditsia triacanthos) Crabapple, Hopa Malus ‘Hopa’) Crabapple, Bechtel Malus ioensis ‘Plena’) White Poplar Populus alba) Cottonwood (Populus sargentii) Cottonwood, cottonless Populus species) Aspen Populus tremuloides) European Mountainash Sorbus aucuparia) Willow, including Austrees Salix species) Tamarisk Tamarix species) Siberian (Chinese) Elm Ulmus pumila)
6 APPROVED STREET TREE LIST
DECIDIOUS SHADE TREES (Drought Tolerant) Columnar Norway Maple (Acer platanoides “Columnar”) Prairie Pride Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis “Prairie Pride”) Marshall Seedless Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica “Marshall Seedless”) Patmore Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica “Patmore”) Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) Shademaster Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos “PNI 2835”) Skyline Honeylocust (Gledisia tricanthos “Skycole”) Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus) Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor) English Oak (Quercus robur) Pagoda Tree or Scholartree (Sophora japonica) DECIDIOUS SHADE TREES (Additional) Bur Oak (Quercus macrocarpa) Red Oak (Quercus rubra) Glenleven Linden (Tilia cordata “Glenleven”) Greenspire Linden (Tilia cordata “PNI 6025” ) Turkish Filbert (Corylus colurnaTree Form) Autumn Purple Ash (Fraxinus americana “Autumn Purple”) Red Maple (Acer rubrum) ORNAMENTAL TREES Tatarian Maple (Acer tataricum- Tree Form) Spring Snow Crabapple (Malus “Sring Snow” - Tree Form) Golden Rain Tree (Koelreuteria paniculata) Chanticleer Pear (Pyrus calleryana “Chanticleer) Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata ) Thornless Cockspur Hawthorn (Crataegus crus-galli inermis Tree Form) 7 LARGE DECIDUOUS TREES Cons Iderations for Selecting Large Deciduous Trees Available space Soil conditions. Irrigation lines. Growth rates vs. brittleness. Water requirements. Table 1: Large trees for shade. Key: Growth Rate: f = fast Soil moisture: L = low-water needs. Can withstand drought. m = moderate M = moderate-water needs. Normal lawn watering s = slow H = heavy-water needs. More than normal lawn watering Branch Height Spread Growth Soil Plant Name (ft) (ft) Shape Rate Moisture Aesthetic Value/Cultural Hints Ash, American Autumn Purple’ Ash, Green ‘Marshalls’ Seedless’ ‘Summit’ ‘Patmore’ Buckeye, Ohio
8 Table 1: Large trees for shade. Key: Growth Rate: f = fast Soil moisture: L = low-water needs. Can withstand drought. m = moderate M = moderate-water needs. Normal lawn watering s = slow H = heavy-water needs. More than normal lawn watering Branch Height Spread Growth Soil Plant Name (ft) (ft) Shape Rate Moisture Aesthetic Value/Cultural Hints Catalpa, Northern Hackberry, Common Honeylocust, Thornless Gleditsia triacanthos inermis ‘Imperial’ ‘Shademaster’ ‘Skyline’ ‘Sunburst’ Hornbeam, columnar Carpinus betulus ‘Fastigiata’ Horsechestnut Japanese Pagodatree Sophora japonica Kentucky Coffeetree Gymnocladus dioica Linden, American Tilia americana Linden, Littleleaf Tillia cordata ‘Greenspire’ Linden, Redmond Tillia x euchlora Redmond’ Maple, Norway Acer plantanoides ‘Columnar’ ‘Emerald Queen’ ‘Jade Glen’ 9 Table 1: Large trees for shade. Key: Growth Rate: f = fast Soil moisture: L = low-water needs. Can withstand drought. m = moderate M = moderate-water needs. Normal lawn watering s = slow H = heavy-water needs. More than normal lawn watering Branch Height Spread Growth Soil Plant Name (ft) (ft) Shape Rate Moisture Aesthetic Value/Cultural Hints ‘Royal Red’ ‘Schwedler’ Maple, Red Acer rubrum ‘Armstrong’ ‘Red Sunset’ Oak, Bur Quercus macrocarpa Oak, English Quercus robur Oak, Red Quercus rubra Oak, Swamp White Quercus bicolor
10 SMALL DECIDUOUS TREES Considerations for Selecting Small Deciduous Trees Soil. Color and texture. Water. Table 2: Small deciduous trees for privacy and color. Key: Growth Rate: f = fast Soil moisture: L = low-water needs. Can withstand drought. m = moderate M = moderate-water needs. Normal lawn watering s = slow H = heavy-water needs. More than normal lawn watering Branch Height Spread Growth Soil Plant Name (ft) (ft) Shape Rate Moisture Aesthetic Value/Cultural Hints Cherry, Canadian Red Cherry, European Bird Chokeberry, Amur Crabapple . ‘Bechtel’ ‘Red Splendor’ ‘Radiant’ ‘Royalty’ ‘Snowdrift’ ‘Spring Snow’ ‘Dolgo’ ‘Centurion, Red Baron’ Hawthorn, Cockspur Hawthorn, Downy Hawthorn, Toba 11 Table 2: Small deciduous trees for privacy and color. Key: Growth Rate: f = fast Soil moisture: L = low-water needs. Can withstand drought. m = moderate M = moderate-water needs. Normal lawn watering s = slow H = heavy-water needs. More than normal lawn watering Branch Height Spread Growth Soil Plant Name (ft) (ft) Shape Rate Moisture Aesthetic Value/Cultural Hints Hawthorn, Russian Hawthorn, Washington Lilac, Japanese tree Maple, Amur Maple, Wasatch Oak, Gambel’s Quercus gambelii Pear, Callery Pyrus calleryana ‘Aristocrat’ ‘Bradford’ ‘Redspire’
Plum, Double-Flowering Prunus triloba multiplex Plum, Newport Prunus cerasifera ‘Newport’ Redbud, Eastern Cercis canadensis Serviceberry, Shadblow Amelanchier canadensis Sumac, Staghorn Rhus typhina
12 EVERGREEN TREES Considerations When Selecting Evergreen Trees Placement. Planting. Watering and Maintenance. Table 3: Evergreen Trees. Key: Growth Rate: f = fast Soil moisture: L = low-water needs. Can withstand drought. m = moderate M = moderate-water needs. Normal lawn watering Native to Colorado s = slow H = heavy-water needs. More than normal lawn watering Approx. Mature Growth Soil Plant Name Size (ft) Shape Rate Moisture Aesthetic Value/Cultural Hints Fir, White* Abies concolor Fir, Subalpine or Rocky Mountain Abies lasiocarpa Douglas, Fir Pseudotsuga menziesli glauca Juniper, Chinese Juniperus chinensis ‘Hentzi Columnaris’ ‘Keteleeri’ 13 Table 3: Evergreen Trees. Key: Growth Rate: f = fast Soil moisture: L = low-water needs. Can withstand drought. m = moderate M = moderate-water needs. Normal lawn watering Native to Colorado s = slow H = heavy-water needs. More than normal lawn watering Approx. Mature Growth Soil Plant Name Size (ft) Shape Rate Moisture Aesthetic Value/Cultural Hints ‘Robusta Green’ ‘Spartan’ Juniper, Rocky Mountain Juniperus scopulorum ‘Blue Heaven’ ‘Cologreen’ ‘Grey Gleam’ ‘Moonglow’ ‘Pathfinder’ ‘Skyrocket’ J. virginiana. ‘Sutherland’ ‘Welchli’ ‘Wichita Blue’ Juniper, Eastern Redcedar Juniperus virginiana ‘Canaertii” ‘Hillspire’ Cupressifoila ‘Manhattan Blue’ Pine, Austrian Pinus Nigra Pine, Bristlecone Pinus aristata Pine, Eastern white Pinus strobus Pine, Limber* Pinus flexilis Pine, Southwestern white* Pinus flexilis reflexa Pine, Lodgepole* Pinus contorta latifolia Pine, Mugo Pinus mugo 14 Table 3: Evergreen Trees. Key: Growth Rate: f = fast Soil moisture: L = low-water needs. Can withstand drought. m = moderate M = moderate-water needs. Normal lawn watering Native to Colorado s = slow H = heavy-water needs. More than normal lawn watering Approx. Mature Growth Soil Plant Name Size (ft) Shape Rate Moisture Aesthetic Value/Cultural Hints Pine, Pinyon* Pinus Edulis Pine, Ponderosa* Pinus Ponderosa Pine, Scotch Pinus sylvestris Spruce, Colorado Picea pungens Spruce, Colorado Blue* Picea pungens glauca ‘Hoopsli’ ‘Koster’ ‘Moorheim’ Spruce, Engelmann* Picea engelmanni P. pungens Spruce, Norway Picea abies Spruce, White Picea glauca Spruce, Black Hills Picea glauca densata Dwarf Alberta Spruce Picea glauca ‘Conica’ Arborvitae, Eastern or American Thuja occidentalis ‘Pyramidalis’ ‘Smaragd’ (Emerald) ‘Techny’
15 PROHIBITED TREES IN COMMERCE CITY
(Species Not Recommended Due to Undesirable Characteristic) Boxelder Acer negundo) Silver Maple Acer saccharinum) Tree-of-Heaven Ailanthus altissima) Birch Betula species) Russian Olive Elaeagnus angustifolia) Ash, American or Green cvs Fraxinus species) Honey Locust, Thorny Gleditsia triacanthos) Crabapple, Hopa Malus ‘Hopa’) Crabapple, Bechtel Malus ioensis ‘Plena’) White Poplar Populus alba) Cottonwood (Populus sargentii) Cottonwood, cottonless Populus species) Aspen Populus tremuloides) European Mountainash Sorbus aucuparia) Willow, including Austrees Salix species) Tamarisk Tamarix species) Siberian (Chinese) Elm Ulmus pumila)
16 XERISCAPING
Xeriscaping Table 4: Trees for Xeriscapes. Height/spread Plant Name (in feet) Comments Bigtooth maple (Wasatch maple) Acer grandiidentatum Bristlecone pine Pinus longaeva (formerly P. aristata) Burr oak Quercus macrocarpa Gambel oak Quercus gambeli Goldenrain tree Koelreuteria paniculata Green ash Common hackberry Celtis occidentalis Japanese pagoda tree Sophora japonica Kentucky coffeetree Gymnocladus dioicus New Mexican locust Robinia neomexicana 17 Table 4: Trees for Xeriscapes. Height/spread Plant Name (in feet) Comments Oneseed juniper Junipers monosperma Pinyon pine Pinus cembroides edulis Ponderosa pine Pinus ponderosa Rocky Mountain juniper Juniperus scopulorum Thornless honeylocust Western catalpa Catalpa speciosa
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Table 5: Shrubs for Xeriscapes. Height/spread Plant Name (in feet) Comments Apache plume Fallugia paradoxa Barberry (Japanese) Berberis thunbergii Bladder-senna Colutea arborescens Buffaloberry (silver) Shepherdia argentea Ceanothus (fendler) Ceanothus fendieri Cinquefoil (Potentilla) Potentilla fruticosa Cliff fendlerbush Fendlera rupicola Cliff rose Cotoneaster Juniper Juniperus sp. Leadplant A. Amorpha canescens Mountain-mahogany Cercocarpus sp. New Mexican privet Peashrub Caragana sp. Rabbitbrush Chrysothamnus sp. Rock spirea Saltbrush Atriplex canescens Sand cherry Sage Sea buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides Sumac (smooth ) Sumac (threeleaf) Yucca
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Table 6: Ground Cover Plants for Use in Shade (Beneath Trees and Shrubs or Along North Walls). Height Plant Name (inches) Remarks Bishop’s weed Aegopodium podagraria ‘variegatum’ Carpathian harebell Campanula carpatica Hall’s honeysuckle Lonicera japonica ‘Halliana’ Kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uvaursi Lily-of-the-valley Convallaria majalis Mahonia (creeping grape holly) Mahonia repens Periwinkle Vinca minor Penstemon (creeping) Penstemon caespitosus Penstemon (Rocky Mountain) P. Strictus Sweet woodruff Galium odorata
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Table 7: Ground Cover Plants for Use in Full Sun. Height Plant Name (inches) Remarks Border jewel (Himalayan) Polygonum affine Creeping broom Cytisus decumbens Creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens Cushion spurge Euphorbia epithymoides Fescue (blue) Festuca ovina glauca Ham and chicks Sempervivum sp. Ice plant (hardy) Delosperma nubigenum Juniper (creeping) Juniperus horizontalis Some common clones include: Bar Harbor Blue Chip Hughes Webberi Wiltoni (Blue Rug) Lavender-cotton Santolina chamaecyparissus Mat saltbush Atriplex corrugata Mock Strawberry Duchesnea indica Mountain bluet (perennial bachelor button) Centaurea Montana Penstemon (red) Penstemon pinifolius Phlox (creeping) Phlox subulata Potentilla (creeping) Potentilla verna Pussytoes Antennaria sp. Sage Snow-in-summer Cerastium tomentosum Snow-on-the-mountain Euphorbia marginata
21 Table 7: Ground Cover Plants for Use in Full Sun. Height Plant Name (inches) Remarks Stonecrop (sedum) Sedum spp. Sulpher flowe Enogonum umbellatum Thyme Thymus serphyllum Veronica (creeping) Veronica rupestris Yarrow (wooly) Achillea tomentosa
22 EVERGREEN SHRUBS FOR HOME GROUNDS DRAINAGE AND SOIL CONDITIONS Evergreens – Narrow leaved Height* Soil Plant Name (in feet) Moisture Exposure Remarks Key:
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Evergreens – Broad leaved Soil Plant Name Height* Moisture Exposure Remarks Berberis mentorensis B. julianae B. verruculosa Buxus koreana * * Cotoneaster apiculata C. horizontalis C. microphylia cochleata Euonymus kiautshovica (patens) E. fortunei ‘Sarcoxie Mahonia aquifolium M. aquifolium ‘Compacta’ Pyracantha coccinea ‘Wyatt’ KEY : S = full sun (open, south or west DT = exceptionally drought-enduring once established (no more than natural exposure) rainfall) Sh = shade (north exposure) D = dry, well-drained soils (2 or 3 waterings per year) E = east exposure M = moist, well-drained soils (4 to 6 waterings per year) * To convert to metrics, use the following conversion: 1 foot = 30 centimeters or .3 meters. ** Semi evergreen. Leaves may drop off some winters.
24 Table 1: Deciduous shrubs for home grounds Key to symbols: ☼ ◐ ☂ ¤
Height Soil Flower/Color/ Plant Name (in feet) moisture Exposure Month Remarks ◐ Fallugia paradoxa ◐ Berberis thunbergi ◐ Pygm B. thunbergi ‘Crimson Pygmy’y Kolkwitzia amabilis Rhammus frangula ‘Tallhedge’ Shepherdia argentea Buddleia davidi Caragana pygmaea Caragana arborescens Caropteris clandonensis Symphoricarpos orbiculatus ◐ Cotoneaster apiculata C. acutifolia ◐ C. microphylla C. divaricata Ribes alpinum R. aureum ◐ Sambucus canadensis ◐ Euonymus europaeus 25 Height Soil Flower/Color/ Plant Name (in feet) moisture Exposure Month Remarks ◐ E. alatus ◐ Forsythia intermedia ◐ Nandina domestica Lonicera korolkowi ‘Zabels’ Syringa vulgaris Syringa reflexa Syringa persica Philadelphus sp. Cercocarpus montanus ◐ Prunus tomentosa Physocarpus opulifolius ◐ Prunus cistena Potentilla fruticosa Ligustrum regelianum Chaenomeles lagenaria Variable Chrysothamnus sp Rosa foetida bicolor Rosa harrisoni Rosa foetida persica Variable Artemisia sp Symphoricarpos albus Spiraea prunifolia plena S. bumalda ‘Froebel’ ◐ S. nipponica S. vanhouttei
26 Height Soil Flower/Color/ Plant Name (in feet) moisture Exposure Month Remarks Rhus cismontane R. trilobata R. typhina laciniata ◐ Viburnum burkwood V. opulus ◐ V. carlesi V. lantana ☂ Salix irrorata ☂ S. purpurea
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