Trees & Shrubs

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Here are some tree and shrub descriptions that may be of use while picking out the plant that will be useful for your purpose.

Native Shrubs

  • AMERICAN PLUM: Medium size. Forms dense thickets ideal for windbreaks. White flowers bloom in May, red-purple plums ripen in September. Great for Jellies.
  • BLACK CHOKECHERRY: Medium - size shrub. White flowers bloom in spring, cherries ripen during July. Great for making jellies and wines.
  • BUFFALOBERRY: Medium/Large - size shrub. Thorny, tree-like shrub. Produces tart, fleshy berries used in jellies. Drought resistant.
  • CHOKECHERRY: Medium - size shrub. White flowers bloom in spring, cherries ripen during July. Great for making jellies and wines.
  • SAND CHERRY: Low - growing shrub. White flowers. Produces sweet purple cherries, good for making jelly. 4 - 6 ft. wide thickets.
  • SKUNKBUSH SUMAC: Medium - size shrub. Forms clusters of red berry-like fruit in summer.
  • SERVICEBERRY/JUNEBERRY: 5 - 6 ft. White flowers in spring, followed by edible, sweet dark purple fruits in late June.
  • GOLDEN CURRANT: Small shrub. Winter - hardy & drought tolerant. Yellow flowers in May. Edible fruit.
  • WOODS ROSE: 4 - 6 ft. Low growing shrub. Provides dense cover wildlife. Adapted to a wide variety of soils.

Introduced Shrubs

  • CARAGANA: Large spreading shrub. Provides dense cover for wildlife. Adaptable to extreme cold/wind. Tolerates all soils.
  • COTONEASTER: Low growing. Dark green foliage turns brilliant red-orange in fall. Berry-like fruit. Adapted to a variety of soils.
  • COMMON LILAC: Upright medium size. Fragrant white to lavender flowers bloom in May.

Native Broadleaf Trees

  • BLACK WALNUT: 40 - 50 ft. Chocolat e brown wood and nut meats. Requires deep, silty - loam soil with good drainage.
  • BUR OAK: 40 - 50 ft. Grows in a variety of soil, but best rich, moist bottomlands. Slow/moderate growth.
  • COTTONWOOD HYBRID: 50 - 75 ft. Cottonless. Shorter life span, but faster growing than native. Rooted cutting.
  • COTTONWOOD NATIVE: 50 - 75 ft. Products Cotton. Fast-growing.
  • GREEN ASH: 35 - 40 ft. Rapid growth. Drought and cold hardiness. Alkaline tolerance. Susceptible to Ash bore.
  • HACKBERRY: 40 - 50 ft. Elm - shaped leaves grayish bark. Moderate tolerance to adverse weather.
  • HONEYLOCUST: 35 - 45 ft. tall Fine-textured foliage turns golden yellow in the fall. Long twisted/flat seed pods palatable to cattle.
  • NORTHERN CATALPA: 40- 60 ft tall. Large leaves and blooms, Long twisted/flat seed pods palatable to cattle.

Introduced Broadleaf

  • TREES SIBERIAN ELM: 40 - 50 ft. Rapid growth. Drought and cold hardiness. Tolerates alkaline soils.

Native Conifers

  • PONDEROSA PINE: 40 - 60 ft. Can withstand prolonged drought. A cluster of three needles.
  • EASTERN RED CEDAR: 15 - 30 ft. Drought resistant. Russet color foliage in winter.
  • ROCKY MOUNTAIN JUNIPER: 15 - 30 ft. Drought resistant - prefers alkaline soils. Bluish-green foliage in winter.

Introduced Conifers

  • AUSTRIAN PINE: 40 - 50 ft. Pairs of needles 4 - 6 ft. long. Christmas Trees.
  • BLACK HILLS SPRUCE: 25 - 45 ft. Dense slow growth, green. Shorter needles, more drought tolerant than CO Blue Spruce.
  • COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE: 5 - 6 ft. White: 50 - 75 ft. Color dark green to silvery bluish-green. Medium growth rate and long life span.
  • SCOTCH PINE: 30 - 40 ft. Rapid growth. Susceptible to pine wilt.