Tri-Mountain National Scenic Area Headquarters

With an elevation ranging from 500 to 2,000 meters, the Lishan Scenic Area stretches from Guguan to Lishan. It contains splendid scenery including mid- and lower-elevation forests, rivers, canyons, and, above all, majestic mountains. This scenic area is rich in natural botanical resources. Distributed at elevations between 1,500 and 2,500 meters are temperate  coniferous forests made up of Taiwan red cypress (Chamaecyparis formosensis), Taiwania (Taiwania cryptomerioides), Taiwan red pine (Pinus taiwanenesis), and other species; at elevations between 500 and 2,100 meters, the subtropical rain forest consists of a mixture of broadleaf trees and conifers. The main species here are evergreens like laurel and beech trees. Below 500 meters are broadleaf forests of India-charcoal Trema (Trema orientalis), Taiwan Zelkova (Zelkova Serrata), Red Fruit Fig-tree (Ficus superba) and Formosan Ash (Fraxinus Formosana). Depending on the differences in elevation, land quality, soil, and direction of sunlight, at the middle and lower elevations of the scenic area you can find plants like the China Elder (Sambucus Formosana), stinging nettle (Urtica thunbergiana), Ragwort Alpine (Senecio nemorensis), and impatiens uniflora. Here you can also find various types of azaleas indigenous to Taiwan, such as Mori’s Azalea (Rhodondendron morii), Small-leaf Rhododendron (Rhododendron sikayotaizanense) and Red-hairy Rhododendron (Rhododendron rubopilosum). This scenic area also has beautiful alpine plants such as the Taiwan Pieris (Pieris taiwanensis), Ito’s Wintergreen (Gaultheria itoana), Yushan Raspberry (Rubus rolfei), Formosan Gooseberry (Ribes formosanum), and Common Goldenrod Herb (Herba solidaginis).