It is a very valuable study on seasonal changes of ground vegetation characteristics under artificially plantations and its relation to stand age in desert steppe. These results will be beneficial to understand the adaptation of ground vegetation under artificial plantations to seasonal changes, and to give rational management on these artificial plantations. An investigation on ground vegetation characteristics including herbaceous plant species richness, density, cover and height, was carried out in May, August and October, in four artificial plantations (C. intermedia) at age of 6, 15, 24 and 36 yeas respectively. The seasonal changes of ground vegetation under artificial plantations during stand development were discussed, together with the related affecting factors. As the results were shown, there were marked different seasonal adaptations of ground vegetation to varying artificial plantations with age. There was a significant impact of seasonal changes on herbaceous plant species richness, not at age of 6 or 15 years but at age of 24 and 36 years (P<0.05). When (at age of 24 and 36 years), herbaceous plant species were significantly lower in May than in October (P<0.01). There was also a significant impact of seasonal changes on herbaceous plant density not at age of 6 years but at age of 15, 24 and 36 years (P<0.05), when there was a significantly higher herbaceous plant density in October than in May (P<0.05). Whiles ground vegetation cover and height were not affected by stand age, but by seasonal changes (P<0.05). There was a significantly higher ground cover and height in October and August than in May (P<0.05), irrespective of stand age. Pearson correlation analysis implied that the main forces were shrub height and basal diameter on herbaceous plant species richness, and shrub morphological characteristics and soil moisture on herbaceous plant density. While soil moisture and temperature with seasonal changes was the main limiting factors on ground vegetation cover and height, respectively. It was suggested that the changing shrub characteristics during stand development not only facilitated soil nutrient conditions, but regulated soil moisture and temperature due to seasonal changes in these artificial plantations. The interaction between stand age and seasonal changes (soil moisture and temperature) co-affected the seasonal dynamics of ground vegetation under artificial plantation in desert steppe.