The Zambezian evergreen dry forests form an archipelago of thick, evergreen forest across western Zambia and adjacent Angola, ranking among the largest expanses of tropical evergreen forest found outside the equatorial zone. The canopy is dominated by the tree genus Cryptosepalum, known locally as "mavunda," whose tall evergreens close over at roughly 15 to 18 meters above a tangled understory of shrubs, creepers, and lianas. Set on deep Kalahari sands at around 1,100 to 1,200 meters elevation, the region cycles through three seasons, a hot wet season, a hot dry season, and a cool dry season, with annual rainfall between about 800 and 1,200 millimeters. Vertebrate richness is relatively low and few species are endemic, yet the forest shelters secretive browsers such as the yellow-backed duiker along with a distinctive bird community, and large stretches fall within Kafue and West Lunga National Parks. Gardeners should note these are fire-intolerant forests, so the native Cryptosepalum and woodland companions such as Brachystegia and Syzygium suit warm, frost-free, summer-rainfall settings.
Marker placed inside the RESOLVE 2017 polygon at 12.7°S, 23.9°E.
Climate snapshot for this ecoregion
°C
°F
Current zone range (2011–2040)
12a-12b
Plotwright
CHELSA-derived typical winter month at this ecoregion's bbox grid.
Projected (2041–2070)
12b-13a
Plotwright
Where the CHELSA models say the typical winter month is heading.
Average warming this ecoregion is on track for: +4.6°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
Afrotropic
Approximate area
12,237 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: