The arboretum was established in 1908 and is located on the northeast side of Chiayi Park. It was originally a rubber seedling production and testing site, and was later changed to a planting test area for tropical economic tree species. It was originally a planting test site for tropical economic tree species, and was later operated as a mother tree garden and is affiliated with the Forestry Experiment Station of the Council of Agriculture.

Because it is a forestry experimental station and Chiayi is located in the Tropic of Cancer, it conducts various tropical and subtropical afforestation experiments. In the early days, it introduced more than 100 species of economic trees such as Brazilian rubber trees, Indian purple almonds, blackboard trees, and mahogany from various parts of Southeast Asia. It adopts a group planting method of one tree species without a systematic zoning plan.

There are currently 140 species of trees planted in the park. After hundreds of years, the trees in the park stand tall and straight, and the natural simplicity fully presents the tranquil atmosphere of the forest. It is indeed an important [leisure green space] in Chiayi City and an extremely precious "urban botanical garden" in Taiwan. It has multiple functions such as nature conservation, academic research, teaching visits, leisure and recreation, and is the best attraction for leisurely traveling in the "plant world".