Guide · checked November 14, 2026

Best privacy trees for the south Denver suburbs

The "best" tree is the one that fits the space at maturity, suits your water and elevation, and isn't the same as every other tree on the block.

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Common screen trees and mature sizes

Elevation

CSU Extension says "for gardeners above 6,000 feet, some of the plants listed in Table 1 are not adapted." Highlands Ranch (about 5,820 ft), Parker (about 5,830 ft) and Centennial (about 5,720 ft) are just under that line; Lone Tree (about 6,280 ft) and Castle Pines (about 6,560 ft) are above it.

Mix species

Lone Tree's Forestry Plan says about 18% of its trees are evergreens, mostly Austrian pine, blue spruce and ponderosa pine, threatened by pine wilt, and quotes the Colorado State Forest Service: "No one species should comprise more than 10 percent of the planted trees." In a screen, alternating two or three kinds limits the damage if one gets hit.

Water

Group trees with similar water needs, keep them out of soggy swales, and keep sod out of the planting area (CSU Extension).

Related

• Narrow screens: juniper and arborvitae
• Privacy tree planting
• When to plant evergreens here