Abstract: To investigate the differences in the effects of strip mixed planting on the growth of Chinese fir and adjacent broad-leaved tree species,as well as on lateral branch development,to provide a theoretical basis for the selection of mixed species for Chinese fir plantations.Three 4-year-old strip mixed plantations of Chinese fir with Phoebe bournei,Schima superba and Liquidambar formosana established at Shibei State-owned Forest Farm in Pucheng County,Fujian Province,were selected as the study objects,with pure plantations as the control.Tree height,diameter at breast height,height to the first branch,and the length,angle,and number of lateral branches were measured and compared for Chinese fir,neighboring trees of different species,and the control group to analyze the differential effects of different neighboring tree species on the growth and lateral branch development of Chinese fir.Main results were as following:① In the Chinese fir×P.bournei mixed plantation,the tree height,diameter at breast height,and height to the first live branch of Chinese fir increased by 12.6%,30.4% and 39.3%,respectively,and the height to the first live branch of P.bournei was also significantly greater than that in its pure plantation.In the Chinese fir×L.formosana mixed plantation,the growth of Chinese fir was inhibited,with its diameter at breast height and height to the first live branch decreasing by 20.3% and 18.7%,respectively,compared with the pure plantation.② There were significant differences among the different species in the developmental characteristics of lateral branches.In the Chinese fir×P.bournei mixed plantation,the angle of first-order lateral branches on the mixed side of Chinese fir was significantly smaller than that on the non-mixed side,whereas the angle of first-order lateral branches on the mixed side of P.bournei was significantly greater than that of the control with pure plantation.In the Chinese fir×S.superba mixed plantation,the length of first-order lateral branches on the mixed side of Chinese fir(1.49 ± 0.34 m)was significantly greater than that on the non-mixed side,whereas the length of first-order lateral branches on the mixed side of S.superba was significantly 7.7% lower than that on the non-mixed side.In the Chinese fir×L.formosana mixed plantation,the length of second-order lateral branches on the mixed side of L.formosana was significantly greater than that on the non-mixed side.③ Correlation analysis showed that in the Chinese fir×P.bournei mixed plantation,the length,angle,and number of first- and second-order lateral branches on the mixed side of Chinese fir were significantly positively correlated with the length,angle,and number of first- and second-order lateral branches on the non-mixed side of P.bournei.The early growth and lateral branch development of Chinese fir varied among mixed tree species.Compared with S.superba and L.formosana,mixing with P.bournei was more effective in promoting the early growth and lateral branch development of Chinese fir.However,the long-term effects of these mixed planting patterns still need to be further verified through continuous long-term monitoring.