
Denver requires that all street trees (trees planted in the public right-of-way) are approved by the city forester and are permitted. The planting permit is free and verifies the suitability of the proposed species and planting locations.
For a detailed list of acceptable trees for planting in the public right-of-way and their growth characteristics, download Forestry’s
approved street tree list. To quickly check the status of a tree you wish to plant, refer to the Street Tree List below.
Please note: do not pre-buy any trees not listed for planting in the public right-of-way as they may not be permitted. Call 720-913-0651 or email the
City Forester's Office to request a planting consultation with one of Forestry’s Arboreal Inspectors or a planting permit.
The planting of the following trees and classes of plants are prohibited in the public right-of-way by Parks and Recreation rules and regulations:
Poplar species (Populus spp.),
Willow species (Salix spp.),
Boxelder (Acer negundo),
Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila),
Weeping or pendulous trees,
Trees with bushy growth habits that cannot be maintained to a single stem, and Shrubs or hedges that, by their growth habit, would obstruct, restrict, or conflict with the necessary and safe use of the public rights-of-way.
The planting of the following trees is temporarily suspended (for various reasons) in the public right-of-way. Please call the forestry office for more details regarding any of these moratoriums.
Silver maple (Acer saccharinum) and its hybrids (Autumn Blaze Maple, Acer x freemanii, etc.),
Evergreen conifers,
Ash species (Fraxinus spp.),
Sunburst honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos inermis ‘Sunburst’),
Mulberry species (Morus spp.),
Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima),
Russian-olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia),
Walnut species (Juglans spp.)
Trees with thorns on the main stem or lower canopy, and
Trees with fleshy fruits over ½-inch in diameter.
None of the above lists are meant to be all-inclusive, and trees not included on any list will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Please call the forestry office and schedule a planting consultation prior to purchasing any plant material for the public right-of-way.