The South Taiwan monsoon rain forests cover the low-elevation forests at the southern tip of Taiwan, the southernmost stretch of the island, much of it falling within Kenting National Park. The vegetation grades dramatically with elevation and exposure, from coastal mangroves of Rhizophora mucronata and Bruguiera gymnorhiza at sea level, through monsoon broadleaf forest rich in Lauraceae and Fagaceae, up to inland mountain stands of Chinese banyan (Ficus microcarpa), Chinese cryptocarya (Cryptocarya chinensis), and deciduous kapok (Bombax ceiba). The climate is tropical monsoon (Köppen Am), with no month averaging below 18 degrees C and a pronounced rainy season driven by the May-to-October summer monsoon. Sitting between temperate and subtropical zones with sharp elevation variation, the region holds notably high biodiversity, and its flagship species, the Taiwan sika deer, has rebounded through a dedicated restoration program after near-extinction. Gardeners may recognize several genera native here, including the banyan and weeping figs (Ficus), kapok (Bombax), and the umbrella tree Schefflera octophylla.
Marker placed inside the RESOLVE 2017 polygon at 22.4°N, 120.7°E.
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: +3.2°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
Indomalayan
Approximate area
995 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: