The Masai xeric grasslands and shrublands stretch across northern Kenya and southwestern Ethiopia, taking in the arid lowlands around Lake Turkana and the Chalbi Desert to its east. In years of good rainfall the landscape flushes with semi-desert annual grasslands dominated by Aristida grasses (Aristida adcensionis and A. mutabilis), while dwarf shrublands of Duosperma eremophilum and Indigofera spinosa hold the drier ground; doum palms and yellow spear grass predominate around the lake. The climate is hot and dry, with mean annual rainfall of roughly 200 to 400 mm falling mostly in a short, highly variable wet season between March and June. Its centerpiece, Lake Turkana, is the largest permanent desert lake and alkaline water body in the world, supporting over 350 native and migratory bird species and the world's largest remaining Nile crocodile population. For gardeners drawn to drought-hardy plants, the region is home to the doum palm, a distinctive branching palm well suited to hot, dry conditions.
Marker placed inside the RESOLVE 2017 polygon at 2.9°N, 37.6°E.
Climate snapshot for this ecoregion
°C
°F
Current zone range (2011–2040)
12b-13b
Plotwright
CHELSA-derived typical winter month at this ecoregion's bbox grid.
Projected (2041–2070)
12b-13b
Plotwright
Where the CHELSA models say the typical winter month is heading.
Average warming this ecoregion is on track for: +4.0°F by mid-century. SSP3-7.0 (current trajectory) · CHELSA v2.1 bio06 sampled across 10 of 10 points within this ecoregion's bounding box.
About the tropical & subtropical grasslands, savannas & shrublands biome
Warm grasslands and savannas where grasses dominate and trees are scattered, maintained by seasonal rainfall, grazing, and fire. They support large herbivore communities and respond sharply to wet–dry cycles.
Catalog plants suited to this ecoregion
Computed from each plant's stated USDA zone range against this ecoregion's CHELSA-derived current zone range, with the CHELSA mid-century warming delta applied for the projection. Plants whose stated range falls outside both the current and projected zone end up dropped; the rest land in one of the three buckets below.
Climate-resilient picks · 4
These plants fit this ecoregion today AND remain in range under the mid-century SSP3-7.0 projection. Lead with these for a planting that holds up as the climate shifts.
No curated collection's plants all fit this ecoregion's zone range. We surface a collection only when every member would grow here — partial fits get filtered out rather than mislead. As the catalog and the curated set both grow, this section will fill in.
Related ecoregions
Other tropical & subtropical grasslands, savannas & shrublands ecoregions to explore: