Results/Conclusions: As predicted, shade grown individuals had lower RGR, SLA, Amax, DResp, and LCP and higher chlorophyll A and B and leaf toughness than pasture seedlings. However, species-specific performance was extremely varied across a shade tolerance spectrum, with rare shade tolerant species such as Brosimum lactenscens, Minquartia guianensis and Schlerolobium costaricense showing low RGR, survival and physiological performance in both light treatments, but with slightly improved performance in shade. Light tolerant species such as Ceiba pentandra, Hyeronima alchorneoides, Inga oerstediana, Terminalia amazonia and Vochysia guatemalensis showed high RGR and survival in the pasture treatment but high mortality and poor physiological performance under forest canopy. The remaining 10 species showed intermediate levels of shade tolerance and high intraspecific variability in responses. In addition to providing the first basic morphological and physiological measurements for many of these rare and threatened native tree species, this experiment supports a key hypothesis, that there are growth-survival tradeoffs across native rainforest species driven by light environment. This study also shows that the number of old growth species able to tolerate high light environments is much higher than expected. Widespread dissemination of these results should result in a broader pool of native species becoming available for use in reforestation activities that promote biodiversity goals and ecosystem services.