The adaptability of mangrove species Sonneratia apetala Buch.-Ham.,Sonneratia caseolaris(L.) Engl.,Kandelia candel Druce on the mudflat with diverse altitudes were studied in Shenzhen Bay,located at the mouth of Zhujiang River,south China,to discover their endurance to sea-water inundation.Results showed that:(1) At a certain range of mudflat altitudes,the survival rate and growth of mangrove species S.apetala Buch.-Ham.at altitudes of mudflat -12~35.5 cm,S.caseolaris(L.) Engl.-1~24 cm,turned to decrease following the descending of mudflat,namely,intensification of inundation,while the survival rate and growth amount of K.candel Druce at altitudes of mudflat-12~24 cm,remained relatively unaffected by the variation of mudflat altitudes;(2)The survival rate of all the species studied became increasingly lower as the growth period became longer.The survival rate decreased greatly during the first year after being planted,showing the growth and survival was unstable at the early stage of development; after one year,the survival rate of S.apetala Buch.-Ham.and S.caseolaris(L.) Engl.tended to be steady,while that of K.candel Druce continued to decrease,difficult to exist in the long run.(3)The inundation limit that S.apetala Buch.-Ham.could stand was the mudflat altitude of 10 cm,and 6.5 cm for S.caseolaris(L.),and at least 24 cm for K.candel Druce.All species studied can hardly settle on mudflat below these altitude limits.To ensure them to grow and multiply normally,it is suggested to plant them on the mudflat above these altitude limits.