The North Deccan dry deciduous forests form a tropical dry broadleaf ecoregion of east-central India, lying mostly in western Odisha and extending into neighboring Chhattisgarh, largely within the middle basin of the Mahanadi River. The original vegetation is a multi-storied forest of dry-season deciduous trees dominated by sal (Shorea robusta), with characteristic assemblages of Shorea, Buchanania, Cleistanthus, and Croton. These forests sit in the dry western rain shadow of the Eastern Ghats, whose hills block the moisture-laden monsoon winds blowing in from the Bay of Bengal. The four-horned antelope, or chousingha (Tetracerus quadricornis), is the flagship species, and the region also shelters threatened wildlife such as tiger, dhole, and sloth bear; however, the great majority of its natural habitat has been cleared or degraded over the centuries. Gardeners may recognize several drought-tolerant natives from this landscape, including teak (Tectona grandis), now common in the remaining forests, and the clumping bamboo Dendrocalamus strictus.
Marker placed inside the RESOLVE 2017 polygon at 20.5°N, 83.3°E.
Climate snapshot for this ecoregion
°C
°F
Current zone range (2011–2040)
12a-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: +3.9°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.
At a glance
Dominant biome
Tropical & Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests
Realm
Indomalayan
Approximate area
22,516 sq mi
Conservation tier
Nature Imperiled (Dinerstein NNH 4)
About the tropical & subtropical dry broadleaf forests biome
Tropical forests that pass through a pronounced dry season, when many trees drop their leaves to conserve water. They hold high biodiversity but are among the most threatened tropical habitats, sensitive to fire and to clearing for agriculture.
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 dry broadleaf forests ecoregions to explore: