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I am shopping for a tree for my yard. I have tried the local government website, and it literally gives me just a list of hundreds of trees...

https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/garden/treereclist.pdf

I have tried getting advice from local nurseries, but they simply try to sell me a tree from their current stock.

What I am hoping to find is a medium/large deciduous tree that is relatively fast growing and low maintenance (I don't mind watering it, but don't want to deal with itch bombs every year and such).

The spot where I will be planting the tree is about 20 feet from the corner of my roof. It gets full sunshine.

I already have a maple tree and a crab apple in my yard, and my next door neighbor has a Linden, so I am looking for something different in this spot.

Any suggestions, recommendations, or even advice on what to stay away from, or how to get good recommendations will be greatly appreciated!

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  • "Large" and "20 feet from the corner of my roof" - pick any one. Trying to have both will cause problems! I wouldn't plant anything that will grow more than 10 feet tall in that position, and that is tiny for a "large tree."
    – alephzero
    Jun 1, 2020 at 21:18

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It's always a good idea to check your local State University or Extension for advice. Here are three links that may be helpful:

Of course you're not limited to native trees, but you should consult this site to make sure that what you want to plant is not invasive in Colorado.

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    Yes, I linked one of those resources in my original question. However, none of these say anything about growth rate, or necessary level of maintenance, or even expected diameter, which is why I am looking for recommendations.
    – David Anderson
    Jun 1, 2020 at 16:19
  • Growth rate, maintenance, and pests/diseases are all a factor of location, which is why there are specific lists for specific areas. With its varied terrain and rapid temperature swings, Colorado is a very tricky location which IMO calls for state-specific sources. The best you can probably do is pick out some trees that you may be interested in from the various lists and research their general attributes. You may be able to find this information on the internet (use the botanical name when searching) or you may have to find a good reference.
    – Jurp
    Jun 1, 2020 at 21:40
  • -continued- For any source, take the growth rate, maximum width and maximum height with a grain of salt UNLESS they are specific to your area. BTW - "fast-growing" almost always equals "high maintenance", as a fast growing tree has weak limbs and tends to have bad crotches which split after a period of years. An example of this is an Autumn Blaze Maple (thanks to its Silver Maple parent).
    – Jurp
    Jun 1, 2020 at 21:44

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