Water potential is a direct index to represent water status or water deficit of plants and could be used to indicate their drought stress degree and drought-tolerance capacity. In this paper, Changes of leaf water potential and water absorption potential capacities of six tree species seedlings planted in Karst areas have been investigated. The main results were described as follows: (1) With the increase of water stress intensity, leaf water potential value of all six tree species seedlings among different growing stages represented decreasing trend. Meanwhile, there existed significant differences among those under different drought stress treatment (P<0.002). Under drought stress, the leaf water potential value of all seedlings came up to the largest decrease valence during fast growth stage, then the second during last growth stage and the lowest during early growth stage. During fast growth stage, the leaf water potential value of all six species seedlings increased by 2.21 MPa、2.14 MPa、3.57 MPa、2.89MPa、4.02MPa and 3.07MPa compared with the control. (2) At early growth stage, leaf water potential stress index of Platycladus orientalis (Linn.)Franco was only 0.150 under light drought stress, but 0.559 under moderate drought stress. Under severe drought stress, the leaf water potential stress index reached 0.716. And leaf water potential stress index of Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.)Presl already reached 0.603 at early growth stage under light drought stress. there was small difference between those under moderate drought stress and severe drought stress. The leaf water potential stress indexes of other tree species had a similar tendency. (3) Under drought stress, the average differences between leaf water potential and silo water potential could be ordered as follows: early growth stage :Robinia pseudoacacia L.(1.261MPa)> Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.)Presl(0.850 MPa)> Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) Henry et Thomas(0.846 MPa)> Platycladus orientalis (Linn.)Franco(0.568 MPa)> Broussonetia papyrifera(0.524 MPa)> Elaeocarpus sylvestris(Lour.)Poir. (0.219 MPa); fast growth stage: Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.)Presl(2.994 MPa)> Robinia pseudoacacia L.(2.68 MPa)> Platycladus orientalis (Linn.)Franco(2.028 MPa)> Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) Henry et Thomas(2.008 MPa)> Elaeocarpus sylvestris(Lour.)Poir. (1.824 MPa)> Broussonetia papyrifera(1.543 MPa); last growth stage: Robinia pseudoacacia L.(0.692 MPa)> Broussonetia papyrifera(0.687 MPa)> Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) Henry et Thomas(0.653 MPa)> Platycladus orientalis (Linn.)Franco(0.354 MPa)> Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.)Presl(0.338 MPa)> Elaeocarpus sylvestris(Lour.)Poir. (0.262 MPa). (4) After 24 hours following rewatering treatment, the restoration indexes of leaf water potential of six species seedlings among different growth stages decreased gradually with the increase of drought stress intensity and could be in the following order: last growth stage> fast growth stage > early growth stage.(5) Water absorption potential capacities of six tree species seedlings were comprehensively evaluated and ordered as follows: Platycladus orientalis (Linn.)Franco > Fokienia hodginsii (Dunn) Henry et Thomas > Robinia pseudoacacia L.> Cinnamomum camphora (Linn.)Presl > Broussonetia papyrifera > Elaeocarpus sylvestris(Lour.)Poir.