Although biological characteristics of different populations in timberline area are widely studied, the spatial relationships of main tree species are still poorly understood due to a lack of studies. In order to improve the understanding on the spatial structure and relationships of rhododendron species and canopy trees in virginal forests near timberline with less anthropogenic influence, we studied the role of spatial patterns and associations of Abies faxoniana and Rhododendron agglutinatum on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, China. Based on the investigation in a 1 hm² Rhododendron-Abies virginal forest plot near timberline on the eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, China, the pair correlation function g(r) was used to analyze the spatial patterns of two dominant species, A. faxoniana and R. agglutinatum, with different size classes and the spatial associations of intra- and inter-species between different size classes. Both species showed continual distribution of DBH size classes and a reverse J-shaped pattern, suggesting an increasing population. For A. faxoniana, alive trees (small + middle + big), small trees and middle trees showed significantly aggregated distribution, and big trees showed regular distribution, while dead trees showed random distribution at small scales. For R. agglutinatum, alive trees (small + middle + big), small trees, middle trees, big trees and dead trees all showed significantly aggregated distribution at small scales. A. faxoniana tended to be from aggregated distribution to regular distribution with increasing size classes at small scales. A. faxoniana big trees showed significant repulsion pattern with its small trees at 0 6 m, while showed significant attraction pattern at 8 13 m, and showed independent pattern at other scales, and those patterns validated the distance dependence effects of Janzen-Connell hypothesis. Random mortality hypothesis was accepted through random labeling test, and there was no clear evidence of density dependence effect of both intra-species. Standing dead trees of both species showed repulsion pattern with small trees of R. agglutinatum at small scales, suggesting that it was not favorable for the settlement of small trees of R. agglutinatum around standing dead trees, while standing dead trees showed independence pattern with small trees of A. faxoniana at small scales. There was no significant spatial association between trees alive of the two species, while different classifications of size classes of the two species showed different spatial associations. Particularly, A. faxoniana big trees showed repulsion pattern with small and middle trees of R. agglutinatum at small scales. A. faxoniana big trees showed significant repulsion pattern with big trees of R. agglutinatum at 0 4 m, while showed attraction significant pattern at 4 11 m, suggesting that there were spatial segregation between those two species. Intra-specific spatial associations were highly positive for individuals of both species in adjacent size classes, while big trees and small trees exhibited significantly negative association. Spatial patterns and associations of A. faxoniana and R. agglutinatum of different size classes reflected differentiation of spatial niche in Rhododendron-Abies virginal forests. It was inferred that adaptation of the two species to the habitat of alpine timberline and spatial segregation of patches between the two species contribute to the coexistence of A. faxoniana and R. agglutinatum.