Abstract:Shrub species are indispensable to the urban greening. Thirteen common used shrub species in the northern city of China were evaluated for their drought tolerance through the measurement of physiological indexes and principal component and subordinate function analysis, so as to provide an important evidence for the species screening of the afforestation program in the North. The results showed that the physiological indexes varied significantly among 13 species under water stress, including the relative water content, electrolyte leakage, chlorophyll content, soluble sugar content and free proline content. Single physiological indicator could not assess the plant drought tolerance comprehensively. Analysis of principal component and subordinate function showed the comprehensive drought tolerance of the 13 shrub species was ranked in decreasing order of Spiraea bumalda cv. coldfiame﹥Berberis thunbergii cv. atropurpurea﹥Sabina vulgaris﹥Malus spttabilis Royalty﹥Sorbaria sorbifolia﹥Weigela florida﹥Lespedeza﹥Cotinus coggygria﹥Ligustrum obtusifolium﹥Lonicera maackii﹥Cornus alba﹥Amorpha fruticosa﹥Forsythia suspensa, which was consistent with the actual performance.