Abstract: A two-year field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of novel controlled-release fertilizers on the growth of understory medicinal plants—Ardisia gigantifolia,Alpinia katsumadai and Mahonia fortunei—and on soil fertility in Guangxi,China.Five treatments were applied:bag-controlled release fertilizer,resin-coated fertilizer,bio-organic fertilizer,compound fertilizer and a no-fertilizer control.The results indicated that both bag-controlled and resin-coated fertilizers effectively slowed nutrient release,significantly increased the contents of total nitrogen,total phosphorus,total potassium,and certain mid-micro elements in non-rhizosphere soil,and alleviated soil acidification and fertility decline.In terms of plant growth,bag-controlled release fertilizer showed the strongest promoting effect on the ground diameter of A.gigantifolia and the plant height of A.katsumadai.Both controlled-release fertilizers also markedly improved the plant height and ground diameter of M.fortunei.Although bio-organic fertilizer contributed to soil organic matter accumulation,it was less effective than the controlled-release fertilizers in supplying readily available nutrients.In conclusion,bag-controlled and resin-coated fertilizers exhibit the distinct advantages of "increased efficiency with reduced application" and sustained nutrient release,demonstrating high potential for application in the green cultivation of understory Chinese herbal medicines in Guangxi.