Using limited-areas methods, the ability of several arbor and shrub species to endure and survive extreme aridity under field conditions in Horqin Sandy Land was studied, and the lowest critical soil water content that was endurable for each of these species was determined. By limiting the horizontal distribution range of the plant roots system, the limited-areas methods could decrease the spatial heterogeneity of soil water content and improve the accuracy of the determination of soil water content. This method also had the advantage of worsening the aridity endured by the plant species, proving helpful in testing the ability of these species to endure aridity. Our results showed that Prunus sibirica L., Caragana microphylla Lam., Artemisia halodendron Turcz. ex Bess., Salix gordejevii Cheng et Skv., Ulmus pumila L., and Populus pseudo-simonii Kitag. could endure critical soil water contents of 0.82%, 0.87%, 1.61%, 1.89%, 2.04% and 2.27%, respectively. The results were useful in evaluating the ability of these species to endure aridity, and had some important implications for the rational use of these species in accelerating the revegetation of sandy desertified lands.