Crassula king
Sapling
I am on a south facing slope that gets lots of sun. I would like to get a few trees that I would not have to be quite as meticulous with their care for them to thrive.
I would be trying bristlecone pine.
Mugo pine will also do well.
All kinds of junipers.
Japanese maple.
There are lots of choices for where you live.
There are members here that live in those regions that will be able to guide you even better.
I would define meticulous as anything outside of normal repotting, pruning, daily watering/feeding. Mostly creating special conditions like increasing humidity.You'd have to say what your definition of meticulous is, but any cold climate conifer should work. Learn how to collect, get a permit and get into those mountains!
I actually have collected a bigtooth maple that is doing pretty good and am thinking about grabbing another before the buds break. Have you had much luck with rocky mountain juniper? I have tons on my parents land that I can collect without a permit.I'm not quite as "elevated" as you, but look around at what grows on the rest of the mountainsides where you're at. Rocky mountain juniper, gamble oak, bigtooth maple, ponderosa pine, white pine, btistlecone pine, Colorado blue spruce. Stay away from Japanese black pine, trident maple, sorry.
I am in wasatch county.Where are you in Utah?
I'm not quite as "elevated" as you, but look around at what grows on the rest of the mountainsides where you're at. Rocky mountain juniper, gamble oak, bigtooth maple, ponderosa pine, white pine, btistlecone pine, Colorado blue spruce. Stay away from Japanese black pine, trident maple, sorry.