Abstract: Selection of salttolerant plants can provide appropriate tree species for the greening in the coastal salinealkaline area, conserve biodiversity and maintain the ecological stability in the relevant areas. The evaluation on salttolerant capacity of the plants is the foundation for the introduction, breeding and selection of the salttolerant plant species or cultivars. The morphological and physiological indices to evaluate the salttolerant plants in the coastal areas in China were systematically summed up in this paper. Meanwhile the research advances in the selection and application of salttolerant plants both in China and in the world were reviewed, the salttolerant capacity and tolerant threshold values of some tree species to be planted for greening purpose in the coastal salinealkaline area were summarized in order to be referred by the systematic selection and extension of the salttolerant plants in the relevant areas.