Groundwater is an important factor affecting vegetation distribution, growth and community succession in northwest China. By simulating 5 groundwater levels of 30 cm (D30), 40 cm (D40), 50 cm (D50), 60 cm (D60) and 70 cm (D70), this study analyzed the influence of groundwater levels on Rosa persica seedlings from the growth and development, root morphology, topology index and the fractal dimension and phenotypic plasticity, tried to reveal the adaptive strategies of R. persica seedings to different water environment, which would be of great value for carrying out its vegetation restoration and conservation work in the future. The results showed that: (1) R. persica seedlings could deal with drought stress from different groundwater levels by increasing the root depth, the total root length, root surface area, root volume, root tip number, branch number, above-ground biomass and root biomass. The seedlings under D50, D60, D70 and CK treatments could also improve the root-shoot ratio to adapt to more long-term drought environment. (2) The topological index of root of R. persica seedlings basically kept between 0.8 and 0.9 under different treatments of groundwater levels, indicating that its root belonged to a typical herringbone branching pattern and was less affected by the environment. Especially, short and dense fine roots (0-2 mm) constituted the main root system of R. persica seedlings. From the perspective of resource allocation, this kind of topology index was relatively simple, less internal competition and less carbon consumption, which was conducive to the root system to improve the efficiency of soil resource acquisition, so as to ensure the plant growth and development of resource supply and demand balance. It was an adaptive strategy of R. persica to environmental stress. (3) Moderate drought, such as 50-70 cm, could promote the root depth of R. persica seedlings, while in the shallow environment (30-40 cm), it could quickly relieve drought, and turn to the growth and development of above-ground organs. Meanwhile, it got more oxygen and adapted to new watery environment by reducing vertical root length, increasing the branch and root tip number. It thrived on the 75th day, and had significant difference in 10 indicators with CK group, including plant height, total root length, root surface area, root volume, root tip number, branch number, above-ground biomass, root biomass, root tissue density and fractal dimension, which demonstrated that R. persica seedlings had good adaptability and phenotypic plasticity to extreme environment, whether enough moisture or severe drought.