Abstract: In order to understand the salinity tolerance of colored leaf trees, the four growth indexes and their growth characteristics were researched with 6 varieties Sophora japonica cv. Golden Stem, Ulmus pumila cv. Jinye, Prunus cerasifera, Prunus×Cistena Pissardii, Amygdalus persica f.atropurpurea, Ailanthus altissima. The results showed that the best growth was Ulmus pumila cv. Jinye on the non-saline soil, and the growth of the Prunus cerasifera was the worst. On the mild saline-alkali soil, the best growth was the Ulmus pumila cv. Jinye and the Sophora japonica cv. Golden Stem, while the Prunus cerasifera was the worst growth. On the saline-alkali ground: the best growth is the Ulmus pumila cv. Jinye and the Sophora japonica cv. Golden Stem, while the Prunus cerasifer dwarf cherry had the worst growth, which is consistent with the mild saline-alkali land. The comprehensive membership function analysis showed that the adaptability of different kinds of colorful leaf plants on non-salt-alkali soils, mild saline-alkali soils and moderate saline-alkali soils was Sophora japonica cv. Golden Stem>Ulmus pumila cv. Jinye>Amygdalus persica f.atropurpurea>Prunus cerasifera>Ailanthus altissima>Prunus×Cistena Pissardii.

Key words: saline-alkali, colored leaf trees, growth, salt tolerance