The most effective way for desertification combating and ecological restoration is the vegetation rehabilitation. However, we have less knowledge on the growth of plant species grown in desertificated grassland in North-East Asia. We investigated the growth responses to water stress of 17 species (6 grass, 6 forb, 5 shrub). Water stress restrained the growth of all species, while the decline degree was different among species. The RGR of 17 species decreased by water stress, due to a decrease in NAR. However, there was no trend in the type of lifestyle. Then the characteristic of species to drought was classified using the growth parameters. First, the species is divided into the reduction level in RGR. And then, species were distinguished as species 1) changing the assimilate distribution, 2) changing the leaf shape, 3) changing the NAR, and 4) less changing in these parameters. Thus, A. halodendron were considered resistant to drought because of the little decline of RGR to water stress. On the other hand, A. sphaerocephala and C. dahuricus with marked reduction of RGR and without less changing in other parameters to water stress were considered to be vulnerable to drought. These changing might be adaptive characteristics for plants to survive in arid/semi-arid region.