When you are ready to plant new trees and shrubs on your property, please consider using drought-tolerant and/or native species. Once established, these tree species will be better able to survive Colorado's dry high plains climate and periodic drought conditions.

These trees have demonstrated their ability to avoid and tolerate dry conditions. They should be considered when selecting trees for your property.

It is also important to consider how large the trees will be at maturity. Each tree variety will have certain size and shape characteristics. In order for your trees to thrive in the urban landscape, they must be given enough space to grow to their adult size. Also, they should be properly planted where site conditions closely match the tree's environmental requirements.

When selecting trees at the nursery, avoid trees with wounds, bruises, incorrect pruning cuts, or insect injuries on the trunk. Remember, tree wraps or plastic tree guards can hide this damage, so inspect the trunk carefully. Inspect the tree's branch structure. Avoid trees with included bark and codominant stems. Make sure the root ball is sound and an adequate size for the tree. Healthy tree roots should be at or near the surface of the container. They should also be alive, unbroken, and light-colored at the tips.