Check soil moisture and drainage, and make sure the sun exposure is correct for the plant. Be aware of the frost-free period. Plant shrubs in early spring, fall and summer planting should be avoided. Gradual exposure to more difficult temperatures will help shrubs considerably. Mulches help to delay freezing of the soil in the fall but must be removed in early spring to allow the soil to heat up.
Hardy up to 10,000 ft
- Alnus ten. - Thinleaf Alder
- Amelanchier aln. - Serviceberry
- Betula glan. - Bog Birch
- Caragana arb. - Siberian Peashrub
- Cercocarpus mon. - Mtn. Mahogany
- Cotoneaster acu. - Peking variety
- Holodiscus dum. - Mtn. Spirea
- Jamesia amer. - Mtn. Mockorange
- Juniperus sab. - Savin Juniper
- Lonicera inv. - Bearberry Honeysuckle
- Lonicera kor. - Blueleaf Honeysuckle
- Mahonia rep. - Creeping Grape Holly
- Potentilla fru. - Shrubby Cinquefoil
- Ribes ssp. - Currant & Gooseberry
- Salix ssp. - Willow
- Sambucus pub. - Redberried Elder
- Shepherdia can. - Canada Buffaloberry
- Sorbaria sor. - Ural False Spirea
- Sorbus scop. - Native Mtn. Ash
- Syringa lac.per. - Persian Lilac
- Syringa vul. - Common Lilac
- Viburnum opu. - Euro. Cranberrybush
Hardy up to 9,000 ft
- Acer gin. - Amur Maple
- Acer glab. - Mtn. Maple
- Artemisia abr. - Woodworm Sage
- Berberis thun. - Jap. Barberry
- Betula fon. - Water Birch
- Chrysothamnus nau. - Rabbitbrush
- Cornus sto. - Red-osier Dogwood
- Eu. Rubus del. - Boulder Raspberry
- Euonymus veg. - Wintercreeper
- Juniperus com. - Common Juniper
- Juniperus sab. - Tammy Juniper
- Liqustrum vul. - Common Privet
- Prunus mel. - Chokcherry
- Purshia tri. - Antelope Brush
- Rhus tri. - Skunkbush Sumac
- Rosa har. - Harrison Yellow Rose
- Rubus ssp. - Raspberry
- Sambucus can. - Amer. Elder
- Spiraea bum. - Froebel Spirea
- Spiraea thun. - Bridalwreath Spirea
- Spiraea van. - VanHoutte Spirea
- Syringa vil. - Late Lilac
- Viburnum lan. - Wayfaringtree Vibur.
Trees
Trees have the most restrictions for plants at high elevations. Establishment can be very difficult, so:
- Check soil for adequate drainage and water-holding capacity and add peat or compost.
- Plant as early in the spring as the soil can be worked, no fall or summer planting.
- Regrowth of roots is the most important factor of transplanted stock. Extend the growing season for roots by applying a 4-6” mulch of pine needles, wood chips, organic material, etc., on the surface before the ground freezes in the fall, and then remove in early spring. Snow cover is also an excellent mulch, which allows root growth even during the winter.
- Snow will accumulate best around a tree if a barrier is placed on the opposite side the wind blows from. Wrap non-evergreen tree trunks with Tree
- Wrap to the 2nd branch for protection, for the first 2 seasons.
Trees Hardy up to 8,000 ft (* hardy up to 10,000)
- Abies con. - Concolor Fir
- Abies las. - Subalpine Fir*
- Acer neg. - Box Elder
- Acer pla. - Norway Maple
- Acer sac. - Silver Maple
- Acer sac. - Sugar Maple
- Alnus ten. - Thinleafed Alder*
- Betula pen. - Euro. Wh. Birch
- Crataegus mol. - Downy Hawthorn
- Fraxinus pen. - Green Ash
- Gleditsia tri. - Thornless Honeylocust
- Juniperus scop. - Rky Mtn Juniper*
- Malus dom. - Domestic Apple
- Picea eng. - Engleman Spruce*
- Picea gla. - Blk Hills Spruce
- Picea pun. - Colorado Spruce*
- Pinus ari. - Bristlecone Pine*
- Pinus con. - Lodgepole Pine*
- Pinus edu. - Pinon Pine
- Pinus flex. - Limber Pine*
- Pinus nig. - Austrian Pine
- Pinus pon. - Ponderosa pine
- Populus acu. - Waxleaf Cottonwood*
- Populus alb. - Bolleana Poplar
- Populus bal. - Balsam Fir*
- Populus can. - Wh. Popular*
- Populus nig. - Lombardy Popular
- Populus tre. - Quaking Aspen
- Prunus arm. - Apricot
- Prunus bli. - Newport Plum
- Prunus cer. - Sour Cherry
- Prunus dom. - Plum
- Prunus vir. - Shubert Chockcherry
- Rhus typ. - Staghorn Sumac
- Robina pse. - Black Locust
- Sorbus auc. - Euro Mtn-Ash
- Thuja occ. - Western Arborvitae
- Ulmus pum. - Siberian Elm