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We evaluated the degree to which relative growth rate (RGR) of saplings and large trees is related to seven functional traits that describe physiological behavior and soil environmental factors related to topography and fertility for 57 subtropical tree species in Dinghushan, China. The mean values of functional traits and soil environmental factors for each species that were related to RGR varied with ontogenetic stage. Sapling RGR showed greater relationships with functional traits than large-tree RGR, whereas large-tree RGR was more associated with soil environment than was sapling RGR. The strongest single predictors of RGR were wood density for saplings and slope aspect for large trees. The stepwise regression model for large trees accounted for a larger proportion of variability (R(2) = 0.95) in RGR than the model for saplings (R(2) = 0.55). Functional diversity analysis revealed that the process of habitat filtering likely contributes to the substantial changes in regulation of RGR as communities transition from saplings to large trees.