Physiological characteristics of seedlings of Cassia bakeriana, Phoebe sheareri, Ilex rotunda and Syzygium hainanense were studied after they were exposed to a low temperature stress (6℃) in the Artificial Climate Box. After continuous treatments at 6℃ for 0, 2, 4 and 6 days and then a recovery period of 2 days in the nature, the physiological indexes of the seedlings were determined and their cold resistance was evaluated using principal component analysis. The results showed that with increasing low temperature stress time, the chlorophyll content of C. bakeriana continuously increased, and that of S. hainanense seedlings increased followed by a decrease. In I. rotunda, chlorophyll decreased followed by an increase, whereas in P. sheareri, it decreased followed by an increase and then decreased. The soluble sugar contents in C. bakeriana and I. rotunda increased gradually, and that of S. hainanense seedlings increased and fluctuated, whereas in P. sheareri seedlings, soluble sugar increased followed by a decrease. The soluble protein contents in C. bakeriana, S. hainanense and I. rotunda continuously increased, and in P. sheareri it slightly changed. The proline contents in C. bakeriana, S. hainanense and I. rotunda continuously decreased, while that in P. sheareri increased and kept steady. The SOD activity in the seedlings of four species reached their maximum levels after a low temperature stress for 2 days. The MDA contents of C. bakeriana, S. hainanense and I. rotunda increased followed by a decrease and that in P. sheareri changed slightly. Principal component analysis indicated that the cold resistance ability of the seedlings of four species decreased in the order of C. bakeriana> P. sheareri> I. rotunda> S. hainanense.