This study aimed to reveal the dynamics and interactions between plant leaves and soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) in the restoration of typical artificial vegetation on the Loess Plateau, through analysis of the contents and stoichiometric characteristics of C, N, and P in the leaves and soil of Robinia pseudoacacia and Caragana korshinskii, and the associated grassland growing for 20a and 40a in the Miaozuigou catchment area. An area of cropland was selected as the control. The results showed that, from 20a to 40a, the leaf C in the three restored vegetation types and leaf P in the grassland were significantly increased. However, the leaf N and P contents in both R. pseudoacacia and C. korshinskii were significantly deceased. The content of C, N, and P in the soil significantly increased with time since afforestation. Compared with the farmland, the content of C, N, and P in the soil increased by 70-349%, 27-202%, and 13-62% (P < 0.05) respectively, particularly, in Robinia pseudoacacia. Regarding the growth rates of C and N in the topsoil of R. pseudoacacia and C. korshinskii, they were higher in the first 20a (0-20a) than during the late subsequent (20-40a), but in the grassland the opposite trend was observed. From 20 to 40a, both C:N and C:P in R. pseudoacacia and C. korshinskii were significantly increased, while C:P and N:P in the grassland were significantly decreased. During the recovery process, soil C:P in Robinia pseudoacacia and Caragana korshinskii significantly increased, whereas significant increases in soil N:P were only observed in the grassland and soil C:N did not change significantly. The correlation analysis showed that the leaf C was positively and significantly correlated with the C, N, and P in soil; leaf N and P were positively and significantly correlated with soil N; leaf N:P was positively and significantly correlated with soil N:P; and the P and C:P in leaves were positively and significantly correlated with the C and N in soil. These results suggest that leaf P reflects the growth rates of C and N in soil and that the N:P ratio can link plants and soil. During recovery, both contents and growth rates of C, N, and P in soil and leaf changed greatly and differently in R. pseudoacacia, C. korshinskii, and grassland. In addition, the content of P can indicate the change in the growth rate and the N:P ratio in leaf can link soil and leaf.