Abstract: The authors studied the tolerance of Salix matsudana to lead. Two-year-old Salix matsudana cutting seedlings were taken as the materials in a pot experiment, and treated under lead concentrations of 0, 200, 600, 1000 and 1200 mg/kg after growing for 6 months. Then the authors analyzed their physiological and biochemical response mechanism to lead stress. The results showed that along with the lead concentration increase, the plant growth and the SOD, POD, CAT activity, the soluble protein content in the root, stem and leaf and the content of chlorophyll in leaf increased first and then decreased, but the activity of MDA kept an increasing trend. The physiological and biochemical indexes of different organs was in an order as root＞ stem＞ leaf. The results indicated that the root system of Salix matsudana was the main accumulation organ, and only a little Pb was transferred to the aboveground parts. From the physiological and biochemical changing trend, it was proved that the seedlings of Salix matsudana had the best lead tolerance under 600 mg/kg lead concentration.