Spatial patterns for leaf nutrient contents of Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii Rupr.) based on the analysis of 72 samples in 24 sites in temperate forest ecosystems in Northeast China were studied. The studied region belongs to the cold temperate zone. The results show that the geometric means of leaf organic carbon (C), nitrogen (N), potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) contents were 543.970 mg/g, 16.902 mg/g, 14.625 mg/g and 2.373 mg/g, respectively. The geometric means of C/N, C/P and N/P were 32.183, 229.226 and 7.123, respectively. With the increase of latitude and decrease in mean annual temperature (MAT) and annual precipitation (AP), leaf C and N contents and N/P ratios of Dahurian larch decreased significantly, and leaf C/N ratios and K content increased significantly, but leaf P contents had no significant change. The changes in the leaf N content with latitude, MAT and AP are different from those reported in literature, but the changes in the leaf N/P ratio are similar to those in literature, which are similar to the changes of other species in our studied region. With the increase in latitude, MAT and AP decreased, and the growing season shortened, pedogenesis was weakened and available soil nutrients for plant decreased, but N/P ratios decreased significantly because of the significant decrease in N content. This finding is similar to the results obtained in other global observations. The differences in the spatial patterns of foliar nutrient contents between Dahurian larch and global and other Chinese flora indicate the importance of an advanced understanding of leaf traits in terms of nutrient contents in a regional scale. The significant relationships between leaf nutrient contents and climatic factors suggest that climatic factors are the major forces affecting variation in the leaf nutrient traits of Dahurian larch.