Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS

What Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS does

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) is a state-owned research institution established in 1959 under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), headquartered in Menglun, Mengla County, Yunnan Province, China. It conducts scientific research, species preservation, and science communication focused on tropical biodiversity, plant genomics, and ecological dynamics. The institution operates three principal research divisions — the CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, the CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resource and Sustainable Use, and the Center for Integrative Conservation — supported by an integrated infrastructure of field stations (Ailaoshan Forest Ecosystem Research Station, Xishuangbanna Tropical Forest Dynamics Plot, Yuanjiang Savanna Research Station), a Tropical Plant Germplasm Bank, the XTBG Herbarium, a Seed Bank, a Public Technology Service Center, and a Biotechnological Laboratory (founded 2003) focused on plant molecular mechanisms and stress-response biology.

XTBG serves three primary user groups: academic researchers and graduate students conducting tropical biology research; conservation organizations collaborating on biodiversity protection; and general public visitors attending the botanical garden for education and recreation. Outputs include peer-reviewed scientific publications, new species discoveries (e.g., new darkling beetle species in the Ailao Mountains, the genus Tsaiodendron in Euphorbiaceae), graduate education programs, professional training workshops (AFEC-X, Population Genomics, Advanced Statistics), and policy products such as the Xishuangbanna Declaration issued at the 62nd ATBC Annual Meeting 2026.

The institution is funded entirely through government appropriations from CAS, competitive research grants, and institutional partnerships; it does not operate a commercial revenue model. International cooperation is a significant activity, evidenced by collaborations with the Kunming Institute of Botany, the Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS), the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC), and NSF-USA, as well as research linkages into Myanmar and Laos. XTBG employs between 251 and 500 staff and is not publicly traded or privately held in the conventional sense, functioning instead as an operational unit within the Chinese Academy of Sciences system.

Name

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS

Legal name

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Website

https://english.xtbg.cas.cn

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) is a Chinese Academy of Sciences state research institution in Yunnan, China, conducting tropical biodiversity, plant genomics, and ecological research, operating field stations, a germplasm bank, herbarium, and biotech lab, and serving academic researchers, conservation organizations, and public visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific and Academic Research (Tropical Botany and Biodiversity)

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (except Nanotechnology and Biotechnology) (541715)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scientific & Laboratory Reference (Chemistry, Biology, Physics; Methods & Protocols) (EDAGAGAG)

Keywords

• Tropical botanical research
• Biodiversity conservation
• Plant genomics
• Ecological field studies
• Graduate science education

Headquarters

HQ city

Yünnan

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

XTBG conducts scientific research and species preservation in tropical botany, ecology, and biodiversity, supported by field stations (Ailaoshan, Yuanjiang), germplasm banks, and a biotechnological laboratory. It delivers graduate-level education, postdoctoral training, and public-facing science communication, and hosts international scientific conferences (notably ATBC 2026). Revenue derives from Chinese Academy of Sciences government appropriations, research grants, and institutional partnerships rather than commercial sales.

Product overview

Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden (XTBG) is a research institution of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, not a commercial product company. It operates research divisions including CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Plant Resource and Sustainable Use, and Center for Integrative Conservation. The institution provides research facilities including seed bank, herbarium, biotechnological laboratory, field stations, and scientific databases. XTBG offers educational programs through graduate study, public education, and training workshops. The 'products' in this context refer to research outputs, scientific publications, educational programs, and conservation services rather than commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Graduate Study Program Graduate-level research education program for MSc and PhD candidates in tropical botany, ecology, and conservation biology, supervised by XTBG faculty and adjunct professors, with scholarship support and admission through CAS processes.
• Advanced Fieldcourse in Ecology and Conservation (AFEC-X) Specialized field course on tropical forest surveys in Tropical Asia, run as a pre-conference training course ahead of ATBC 2026, supported by international funding partnerships such as NSF-USA.
• Population Genomics Workshop Workshop focused on population genomics methods, delivered as a professional training course for researchers and students at XTBG.
• Advanced Statistics Workshop Workshop on advanced statistical methods for ecological and biological data analysis, offered as a professional training course at XTBG.
• Public Environment Education Program Environment education program for schools and the general public visiting the botanical garden, including environmental awareness activities and guided tours.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 July 2017Collaborative research partnership with Kunming Institute of Botany on plant taxonomy and phylogenetic studies, including the discovery of Tsaiodendron, a new genus of Euphorbiaceae. Joint expeditions and shared research facilities for tropical plant research.
• Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTFS Research Grant Program supports research associated with the network of Forest Dynamics Plots. XTBG participates in Forest Dynamics Plot research and hosts CTFS-affiliated researchers and students.
• Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerXTBG hosted the 62nd ATBC Annual Meeting 2026 with over 700 scientists from 60+ countries. Joint conference organization for tropical biodiversity conservation research exchange.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: A leading global botanical research and conservation institution operating extensive living collections, herbarium, seed bank (Millennium Seed Bank), and graduate training programs. Directly comparable to XTBG as a national-scale botanical research garden with international scientific leadership.
• Missouri Botanical Garden: One of the world's oldest and largest botanical research institutions, operating a major herbarium, seed bank, conservation programs, and graduate education. Closely comparable to XTBG in mission (biodiversity research, herbarium, germplasm preservation) and scientific output.
• South China Botanical Garden, CAS: Another CAS-affiliated botanical research institution with extensive living collections, herbarium, and ecological research. Highly comparable to XTBG as a peer CAS botanical garden with similar mission and infrastructure.
• Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute: A major tropical biology research institution operating field stations, long-term ecological monitoring plots, and international training programs. Highly comparable to XTBG in tropical research scope, Forest Dynamics Plot participation, and graduate training.
• New York Botanical Garden: Operates one of the world's largest herbaria, active plant science research, graduate education (with partner universities), and conservation programs. Directly comparable to XTBG in herbarium scale, plant genomics research, and graduate training.
• Kunming Institute of Botany, CAS: A peer CAS research institute focused on plant taxonomy, phytochemistry, and horticulture, jointly publishing with XTBG (e.g., discovery of new genus Tsaiodendron). Closely comparable in mission and institutional structure under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
• Singapore Botanic Gardens: A UNESCO World Heritage tropical botanical garden with active research, conservation, and educational programs in Southeast Asia. Directly comparable to XTBG in tropical research focus and regional ecological leadership.
• Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden: A tropical botanical research and conservation garden with active germplasm programs, education, and international collaborations. Comparable to XTBG in tropical horticulture, conservation education, and applied plant science.

Regional players

• Bogor Botanical Gardens / BRIN Indonesia: Southeast Asia's oldest and largest botanical garden, now under Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), with major herbarium and tropical research programs. Comparable to XTBG in tropical focus and Southeast Asian biodiversity research, serving a different national ecosystem.

Broad incumbents

• Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS): The parent organization of XTBG and China's premier national research body, operating 100+ institutes across all major scientific disciplines. Provides the institutional governance, funding umbrella, and strategic context for XTBG's operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/casxtbg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/xishuangbanna-tropical-botanical-garden-cas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, CAS