Abstract: The aim of this study is to elucidate the response of the seedlings of L. wilfordii (Regel) Maxim to temperature and soil nutrient treatments. The effects of non-biological environmental factors on the phenotypic plasticity of the plant height, biomass accumulation, biomass allocation and the relative growth rate of L. wilfordii seedlings were studied. The results showed that the plant height, total biomass, relative growth rate and root/ shoot ratio of the seedlings were different under different temperature conditions. The growth performance were promoted with the temperature increasing, but the root/ shoot ratio decreased with increasing temperature. The effect of temperature conditions on plant height and relative growth rate was the most significant. The plant height, total biomass, relative growth rate and root/ shoot ratio of the seedlings were different under different soil nutrient conditions. The growth performance were also promoted with the soil nutrient increasing, excepting for root/shoot ratio. The effects of soil nutrient on plant height and root/shoot ratio were significant. The plasticity of relative growth rate was the strongest under different temperature conditions. Under different soil nutrient treatments, the plasticity of root/shoot ratio was the strongest. The results showed that the plasticity of the L.wilfordii (Regel) Maxim seedlings to temperature change is higher than that to soil nutrient change.

Key words: L. wilfordii (Regel) Maxim, seedlings, phenotype plasticity, temperature, soil nutrient