Objective To explore the Geographic distribution and regionalization of potential suitable cultivated area for Idesia polycarpa.

Method Based on the data of climate, altitude and soil, as well as the natural distribution of I. polycarpa, Maxent model was applied to predict the suitable cultivated area for I. polycarpa.

Result The horizontal distribution of I. polycarpa, naturally ranges from 23°10'N to 35°30'N, 102°45'E to 121°40'E, and the elevation of distribution area ranges from 14 m to 2 500 m. Temperature and precipitation are the dominant factors affecting the distribution of I. polycarpa, followed by soil. This result is in accordance with the leanness-resistant characteristic. The suitable annual mean temperature and annual precipitation for the growth of I. polycarpa are 13~21℃ and 800~1 800 mm, respectively. The suitable mean temperature of the coldest month and the max temperature of the warmest month are -3~8℃ and 34℃, respectively. The potential cultivated regions of I. polycarpa with high suitability are Daba, Wuling, Miaoling, Xuefeng, Wugong, Wuyi, Jiulian, Daiyun, Dabie, Funiu mountains, the eastern Yunnan-Guizhou plateau, the northern Dayao and Yunkai mountains, as well as the margin of Sichuan Basin. The cultivated regions with ordinary suitability are the upland areas of Sichuan Basin, the plain of two lakes, Poyang-lake plain.

Conclusion In this paper, the geographic distribution and the dominant bioclimatic factors are clarified. This paper predictes the regionalization of potential suitable cultivated area and provided references for cultivating I. polycarpa.