Virtual　Geographic　Environments　(VGEs)　represent　a　new　analytical　tool　for　understanding　geographic　processes.　Among　the　fundamental　solutions　to　advancing　and　deepening　the　development　of　VGEs　are　geographic　modeling,　geographic　simulation,　and　geographic　knowledge　sharing.　Forest　is　a　major　component　of　the　geographic　environment.　This　article　proposes　an　integrated　approach　for　analyzing　and　exploring　plant　growth　processes　and　the　relationship　between　plant　growth　and　the　environment,　and　describes　the　development　of　a　software　prototype　that　integrates　ontology,　artificial　intelligence　(AI)　and　virtual　plant　techniques.　The　strategy　is　as　follows:　First,　we　collect　existing　information　on　the　growth　and　development　patterns,　morphological　structure,　and　environment　of　a　chosen　plant　from　the　botany,　forestry,　and　ecology　literature.　Then,　we　construct　an　ontology　framework　to　organize　the　collected　information　and　individual　cases　into　a　knowledge　base　and　support　the　inferential　reasoning,　botanical　modeling　and　simulation.　Through　rule-based　reasoning　(RBR)　and　case-based　reasoning　(CBR),　complex　relationships　between　tree　growth　and　the　environment　can　be　extracted.　Next,　the　newly　derived　knowledge　is　integrated　with　a　3D　method　for　modeling　the　growth　of　individual　tree　based　on　the　same　ontology　framework.　Finally,　based　on　the　description　of　the　tree　species,　environment,　growth　stage,　and　phenophase,　among　other　factors,　key　tree　morphology　parameters　are　derived　via　semantic　reasoning.　Using　these　parameters,　a　new　3D　tree　model　is　generated　that　is　consistent　with　the　specific　habitat　and　growth　phase.　Our　approach　is　useful　for　users　who　have　little　knowledge　of　botany　or　who　lack　the　computer　skills　to　construct　realistic　3D　tree　models　that　are　faithful　to　botanical　features.　©　2015,　Springer-Verlag　Berlin　Heidelberg.