Energy plant as one species for ecological restoration in mining areas is of great significance to the economic development and ecological environment of mining areas. Taking switchgrass, an energy plant, as the research object, through pot experiments, by analyzing the growth characteristics of seedlings in the soil matrix of the mining area and the non-mining area under the control, mild, moderate and severe drought stress, combining the seed germination characteristics in the soil matrix of the mining area, the response mechanism of switchgrass to drought stress and the ecological adaptability of the mining area soil were revealed. The test results showed that:(1) the total number of germinations, germination rate, germination potential and germination index of switchgrass seeds reached the maximum under mild stress, and the vitality index was the highest in the control group. Each index reached the minimum under severe stress. Each growth index of seedlings was minimal under mild stress, the root length and fresh weight of seedlings were the highest under severe stress, and the bud length and shoot weight were not much different under the other three groups of stress. (2) Drought stress reduced the plant height of switchgrass under the two soil substrates, and increased the rate of dead leaves. It could maintain the leaf relative water content and the number of tillers stable under the control, mild and severe stresses. In the soil matrix of the mining area, the root volume of switchgrass was the largest under mild stress, the longest root length under moderate stress, and the largest number of roots under severe stress. The root-shoot ratio showed a trend of first decrease and then increase with the intensification of drought stress, reaching the minimum value under mild stress and the maximum value under severe stress. (3) Compared with the soil substrate in the non-mining area, the root-to-shoot ratio of switchgrass under the soil substrate in the mining area was larger, and the other growth indicators were smaller. With the intensification of drought stress, the plant height, dead leaf rate, relative leaf water content and tiller number of switchgrass under the soil matrix in the mining area were consistent with those in the soil matrix in the non-mining area. In summary, the growth characteristics of switchgrass in mining soils were worse than those in non-mining soils. Physiological indicators performed better under mild drought stress, while the growth of switchgrass was restricted under moderate and severe drought stress. In arid and barren environments, switchgrass can ensure its own survival by adjusting the biomass ratio. Therefore, switchgrass had certain resistance to drought and barrenness and was feasible to use it as a variety of ecological restoration in the mining area.