This data documents the shrub growth parameters from 2011 to 2015 for site A, belonging to the annual inventory taking place for both site A and site B. Measurement for this data took place annually from the end of September to the beginning of October. Measurements were conducted in the central part (extended core area) of all 1mu-plots in site A. Extended core area is the central 5 * 5 shrubs in the monoculture and 2-species mixtures ( total 35 shrub positions per 1mu-plot), the central 11 * 11 shrubs in the 4-,8-,16-,24-species mixtures (total 121 shrub positions per 1 mu-plot). By applying the conventional measuring methods direct in the field, shrub position, shrub species, total height, the crown diameters (in N-S and E-W cardinal directions), the length and the diameter of the tallest ramet / branch were measured and the number of ramets /branches and the number of the first-order branches were counted.

The shrub positions in the so called extended core area for each 1mu-plot were surveyed. The extended core area is the central 5 * 5 shrub positions in the monocultres and 2-species mixtures (25 shrub positions per 1mu-plot) and the central 11 * 11 shrub positions in the 4-, 8-, 16- or 24- species mixtures (121 shrub positions per 1mu-plot).

This data was collected from site A within the BEF-China experiment, which is located in a hilly subtropical region near Xingangshan Township, Jiangxi Province (29.08-29.11 N, 117.90- 117.93 E), China.

Ardisia crenata Camellia chekiangoleosa Distylium myricoides Muonymus myrianthus Eurya muricata Gardenia jasminoides Loropetalum chinense Rhaphiolepis indica Distylium buxifolium Syzygium buxifolium