Quercus variabilis distributes widely in a variety of forest stands on the south slope of Qinling Mountains, and this tree species often displays variety crown morphological and architectural features in different habitats. In order to illustrate the crown architectural variation of Q. variabilis seedlings in different habitats and understand the response and adaptation mechanisms of plant to different environment conditions, the typical sampling method was implemented, and the characteristics of lateral branch and leaf, as well as their spatial distribution for Q. variabilis seedlings, which grew in three different habitats (under canopy, forest gap and forest edge), were investigated in Shanyang in September 2012. The result showed that the crown morphological features of Q. variabilis seedlings changed in response to three kinds of habitats. (1) The seedlings under canopy had significantly broad crown, while the crown was relatively dense and narrow in forest gap and edge (P < 0.05), this was displayed by the crown width of seedlings, which were 22.8, 32.1 and 45.6 cm in forest edge, forest gap and under canopy respectively, and such a change in crown structure was an advantageous adaptation for enhancing light interception. (2) The density of first-order-branch and the branch angle were both different significantly among three kinds of habitats (P < 0.05), from I to IV stratum,the branch angle of seedlings under canopy were the widest, and the amplitude of variation didn't exceed 5°, while the same parameter in forest edge decreased gradually and the amplitude of variation reached up to 40°. meanwhile, the probability of forming more than 5 first-order-branches for seedlings under canopy was the largest, the maximum was 0.6, and the mean branching number could be up to 5.1. (3) Affected by the lateral branches distribution, the leaves distribution of seedlings were different among three habitats. the leaf morphological charecteristics of Q. variablis seedlings including leaf length, leaf width, leaf area and leaf area index gradually decreased from forest edge, forest gap to under canopy, while quantitative leaf density and leaf area per unit dry mass showed reverse trend. Compared with the other two habitats, the seedling leaves in under canopy tended to distribute in upper crown and insert on the higher order branches, and this distribution pattern of branches and leaves could enhance the light interception of the seedlings in this kind habitats. (4) The height and collar diameter of seedlings in forest gap were obviously greater than those in other two habitats, this advantage could shorten the time of seedlings entering into the main storey, so forest gap was advantageous to the population regeneration and cultivate the large diameter timber of Q. variabilis, and this might be caused by the better radiation condition, air temperature and soil moisture etc., which were benefit to the growth of seedlings, In the future, appropriate thinning techniques should be used to increase the number of the forest gap and provide favorable conditions for regeneration and structure optimization of Q. variabilis forests.