by Shannon Moreau | Fort Collins Nursery

Trees play a crucial role in every landscape, providing shade, food sources, homes for wildlife, and privacy. Choosing the right-sized tree for your location is a key factor in its long-term success; trees that do not fit in their space pose significant challenges compared to incorrectly selected shrubs or perennials. It is essential to plan for adequate space for your tree to grow to its full maturity without interfering with structures or existing plants in the landscape. If you are challenged with a smaller lot size or narrow location, it can be tough to know where to start. Fortunately, there are great options for smaller trees that grow 20′-25′ tall (or less), making them ideal for smaller yards or tight spots. Below are a few options for dependable trees for small spaces. 

Columnar Trees

The narrow habit of columnar selections adds height and color to your landscape without taking up too much space. Many of these will grow in a range of 15′-20′ tall and 6′-8′ wide. Deciduous selections of crabapple, such as Raspberry Spear or Marilee, are a good choice due to their showy spring blooms. Raspberry Spear crabapple also has fantastic fall color. If you need a narrow evergreen tree instead, columnar junipers like Woodward and Medora work wonderfully. 

Additional columnar trees:

• Goldspire Gingko
• Parkland Pillar Birch
• Rainbow Pillar Serviceberry
• Blue Totem Spruce
• Taylor Juniper

“Dwarf” Trees

While not necessarily actual swarf specimens, many trees range from 10′-16′ tall and wide (or less) and have a more rounded habit compared to the narrow upright branching of columnar trees. Semi-dwarf fruit trees are a nice option for edible landscaping in limited space. The fragrant white blooms of edible plums are a beautiful choice. Tree-form shrubs are often used as small trees and present a wide variety of colors and textures. These are plants that are typically shrubs but have either been grafted or trained into a more tree-like shape. While they are often less ideal for screening, weeping options, including the Walker Weeping Peashrub and the Weeping French Pussy willow, make lovely specimen plantings. 

Additional 10′-16′ options:

• Sparkling Sprite Crabapple
• Big Cis Plum
• Semi-dwarf Honeycrisp Apple
• Tree-Form Dwarf Korean Lilac
• Tree-form Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea 
• Tannenbaum Mugo 

Small Trees

15′-25’ is the traditional definition when referring to trim trees, and this group includes some fantastic options for shade trees in lawns and landscapes. Flowering deciduous trees, such as Spring Snow Crabapple, Japanese Tree Lilac, and Russian Hawthorn, are excellent small shade trees with minimal mess. Many of these options are used in challenging sites, such as medians and commercial parks, which demonstrates their versatility and hardiness. For an evergreen tree, the Hoopsi Blue spruce is an easy answer with its fast growth rate, powder blue needles, and pyramidal shade.

Additional 15′-25′ options:

• Rocky Mountain Glow Maple
• Royal Raindrops Crabapple
• Moonglow Juniper
• Emerald Green Juniper
• Newport Plum
• Standard Fruit Trees

Whether you are meeting an HOA requirement or simply adding height, texture, and shade to your landscape, the right-sized tree is waiting for you!