Due to their various advantages such as strong lateral spread ability, physiological integration, resource foraging behavior, and risk-spreading strategies, rhizomatous clonal species dominate sand dune ecosystems, and play an important role in the vegetation restoration and reconstruction of sandy regions. However, the trade-off strategies among different structures and functions of rhizomatous clonal species in response to aeolian disturbance have not yet been fully discussed. Thus in this study we selected the dominant rhizomatous clonal species Inula salsoloides on fixed sand dunes in the Ulanbuh desert as the target species. By investigating the growth pattern (reproductive growth vs. vegetative growth), reproductive strategy (sexual reproduction vs. vegetative reproduction), and clonal growth form (vertical growth by tiller buds vs. horizontal growth by rhizome buds) under different sand burial depths, we aimed to explore the key potential trade-off strategies of rhizomatous clonal species in response to the sandy environment. Results showed that with the increasing sand burial depth, the number and biomass of reproductive shoots significantly increased while there were no obvious changes in vegetative shoots, but their relative proportions showed an opposite trend. The number and biomass of inflorescences significantly increased but there were no significant changes in those of belowground buds, the number ratio and biomass ratio of inflorescences significantly increased but those of belowground buds decreased with the increasing sand burial depth. As regard with the belowground bud bank composition, the number, biomass, and their relative proportion of rhizome buds significantly decreased but those of tiller buds significantly increased with the increasing sand burial depth. Our study indicates that this rhizomatous clonal species has evolved a variety of key trade-offs to adapt to the sandy environment in arid sand dunes. Specifically, this rhizomatous clonal species tends to more proceed reproductive growth, enhance sexual reproduction potential, and adopt more vertical growth ability by increasing tiller buds with the increasing sand burial depth. This study preliminarily elucidates the key trade-offs of rhizomatous clonal species in response to sandy environment, and it not only provides an important theoretical basis for predicting clonal plant population structure and community dynamics, but also offers practical guidance for implementing vegetation restoration measures in arid sandy areas.