Abstract: In order to investigate adaptability of several salt-tolerant species of trees and shrubs to saline alkali soil in coastal polders, leaf photosynthetic characteristics were determined of 9 such species of plants transplanted in the same period in the Dongtan Polder of Chongming Island. It was done during their peak growing season using Li-6400 portable photosynthesis analyzers. Results show that among the four species of trees (Robinia pseudoacacia, Photinia serrulata var. serrulata, Ligustrum lucidum and Sabina komarovii), R. pseudoacacia was the highest in P_max (21.28 μmol•m^-2•s^–1), Y_AQ(0.049μmol•μmol^-1) and P_LS(2 031 μmol•m^{- 2}•s^-1), but lower in P_LS (13.60μmol•m^{- 2}•s^-1); and among the five species of shrubs (Amorpha fruticosa, Cassia sophera, Hibiscus mutabilis, Hibiscus syriacus and Bambusa multiplex), A. fruticosa was the highest in P_max (20.92 μmol•m^{- 2}•s^-1), Y_AQ (0.048 μmol•μmol^-1) and P_LS (1 980.67 μmol•m^-2•s^-1), but the lowest in P_LS (2.95 μmol•m^{- 2}•s^-1), and A. fruticosa was the highest in E_WU (10.58 μmol•mol^-1) and lower in T_r (1.86 mmol•m^-2•s^-1). The findings suggest that: in terms of leaf photosynthesis, R. pseudoacacia and A. fruticosa are the tree and shrub species that are more adaptable to the saline alkali soil in coastal polders, which can serve as scientific basis for revegetation in coastal polders.