[Objective]To compare the differences of seed morphological characters among provinces of Quercus variabilis Bl., and explore the adaptive growth status of seedlings growing in the central distribution area. [Method]The seeds of 6 Q. variabilis provenances from six provinceswerecollected,and the seedlings were cultivated and transplanted to experimental field in the centre of natural distribution range (Wuhan Jiufeng National Forest Park), then the seed morphology and one-year seedling growth traitswere surveyed. [Result](1) There were significantor extremely significantdifferences among provenances in seed length,seed width,seed length /width ratio and 100-seed mass,the order of seed length among provenances was Beijing Provenance (22.28 mm), Hubei Provenance (22.10 mm), He nan Provenance (20.80 mm), Shaanxi Provenance (19.57 mm), Yunnan Provenance (18.93 mm) and Liaoning Provenance (18.81 mm), the seed width of Beijing Provenance (19.71 mm) and Hubei Provenance (19.16 mm) was higher than that of the others,the seed length /width ratio of Henan Provenance (1.38) was extremely significantly higher than that of the others; (2) There were significant or extremely significant differences among provenances in seedling height,ground diameter,leaf number,branching number and seedling height /ground diameter,the Beijing Provenance and Hubei Provenance were better in seedling height and leaf number,which were respectively 19.54 cm and 20.26 cm,8.32 leaves and 9.50 leaves; (3) A decreasing trend with time for seedling growth traits among provenances was found; (4) There was a positive relationship between seed morphological characters and seedling growth traits except seed length /width ratio; the leaf number was significantly related to ground diameter and branching number and the seedling height and leaf number were closely related to the seed morphological characters; (5) It showed a decreasing trend with the growth time in the relationship between seedling growth traits and 100-seed mass.[Conclusion]The seedlings of Beijing Provenance and Hubei Provenance grew better in the experimental field which might be related to their larger seed mass,and the Yunnan Provenance in the south margin and the Liaoning Provenance in the north margin of distribution area of Q. variabilis grew weaker than the provenances in the centre of distri- bution area. With the effect of climate change,provenances in the margin of distribution area may lose in the community competition in the seedling stage if it cannot take advantage of its dispersal and settlement and affected by the disadvantage of growth and competition,so that the distribution and population renewal would surely be affected.