Hello -

I've been reading through the forum for the past couple days and have found some very useful information. Now for the tough part, where I'm hoping to get some suggestions on a difficult tree selection.

We are going to replace the sugar maple in our front entryway, as it is growing way too big for the space, and will continue to reach skyward now that it's above the roofline (see photo). The tree is becoming very disproportionate, and I can't figure out why the builder would have chosen that species.

Because the entry has direct western exposure on the Colorado Front Range, it sees very bright afternoon sun. Therefore we're looking for a relatively dense tree to help shade the windows there. The entire width of the entryway is 12ft, but there is almost 9 feet from the trunk to the far side. I was thinking we would go for a tree with a 15-20 foot mature spread, so the tree can fill out some of the area. As for height, we'd like something around 20-25 feet. Also, as the tree matures to full spread, we would need the branches to be tall enough to walk under, pruning as needed.

Our wish list is for a flowering tree with medium to large green summer leaves, and interesting fall colors. The ones we're considering at the moment are:

- Radiant Crabapple

- Spring Snow Crabapple

- Kwanzan Cherry

- Yoshino Cherry

- Aristocrat Pear

- Cleveland Pear

I've heard that pear trees have been problematic in the past, but have also heard recent varieties are more hardy. We're not big on fruit, but it would be a plus if any fruit were edible. Higher on the list would be a tree that could fill the space while maintaining some sense of proportion.

Having said all that, what do you think? Any others we should consider? Thanks for your help!

Cheers,

Badger

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