The Sierra Madre de Chiapas moist forests cover the slopes of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas mountain range as it runs parallel to the Pacific coast, spanning southern Mexico's Chiapas state, southern Guatemala, and reaching into the northwestern corner of El Salvador. This is a tropical moist broadleaf forest divided into lower montane and montane rain forest, with a tall closed canopy of trees such as mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) and Manilkara zapota at lower elevations and oaks (Quercus) and Oreopanax higher up, draped in abundant epiphytic bromeliads and orchids. The climate is warm and humid, as the mountains intercept prevailing Pacific winds to generate clouds, fog, and orographic rain that make this one of the wettest areas in the region. It is exceptionally rich, with over 750 plant species, charismatic birds including the resplendent quetzal and horned guan, and recognition as a center of endemism for salamanders, yet it is rated critical or endangered after extensive clearing for agriculture and coffee plantations, with protection anchored by reserves such as El Triunfo. For gardeners, the native epiphytic orchids and bromeliads found here are widely grown ornamentals.
Marker placed inside the RESOLVE 2017 polygon at 14.9°N, 92.1°W.
Climate snapshot for this ecoregion
°C
°F
Current zone range (2011–2040)
11b-13b
Plotwright
CHELSA-derived typical winter month at this ecoregion's bbox grid.
Projected (2041–2070)
11b-13b
Plotwright
Where the CHELSA models say the typical winter month is heading.
Average warming this ecoregion is on track for: +3.5°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 Moist Broadleaf Forests
Realm
Neotropic
Approximate area
4,346 sq mi
Conservation tier
Nature Could Reach Half Protected (Dinerstein NNH 2)
About the tropical & subtropical moist broadleaf forests biome
Warm, wet, highly productive forests — including tropical rainforests — with closed canopies, near year-round growing seasons, and the richest terrestrial biodiversity on Earth. Low seasonality and high rainfall sustain dense, layered vegetation from canopy to forest floor.
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 · 52
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 moist broadleaf forests ecoregions to explore: