The soil is poor and soil erosion is strong in the sandstone area of Ordos Plateau, and soil nitrogen literacy is also the main limiting factor of vegetation restoration and reconstruction in this area. The study included three native species of Achnatherum splendens, Amygdalus pedunculata and Hippophae rhamnoides, and two exotic species of Rheum palmatum and Pennisetum americanum×P. purpureum as the subject. Using field test methods, we analyzed and compared the differences of individual growth performance and nitrogen utilization related indicators with these five potentially suitable plants in 4 nitrogenapplying levels ［control N₀, low nitrogen (N_L, 0.1 g N/kg), medium nitrogen (N_M, 0.2 g N/kg) and high nitrogen (N_H, 0.3 g N/kg), under airdried soil］. The aim is to provide theoretical basis for regional vegetation restoration and reconstruction from the perspective of nitrogen utilization and species selection and nitrogen application intervention.The results showed that: (1) the individual growth performance of the five plants was the best under the medium nitrogen level compared to other nitrogen levels. When the R. palmatum, A. splendens, A. pedunculata, P. americanum×P. purpureum and H. rhamnoides were at the medium nitrogen level, the plant height and biomass increased by 10.00, 41.41, 38.95, 151.45, 41.08 cm and 52.84, 60.55, 75.36, 668.67, 142.86 g, respectively. (2) The average nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE) of 5 plants at 4 nitrogen levels was 1 154.42 g·g^-1, under each nitrogen level, the NUEs of H. rhamnoides, R. palmatum, A. pedunculata, P. americanum×P. purpureum and A. splendens are 1 546.16, 1 429.45, 1 389.75, 731.09, 675.65 g·g^-1, respectively; there are significant differences in NUE among the five plants. The comprehensive NUE performance of the plants at each nitrogen level is: H. rhamnoides, A. pedunculata, R. palmatum > P. americanum×P. purpureum, A. splendens. (3) The effect of nitrogen level on NUE in 5 plants was significant. The highest under medium nitrogen application, and the NUE of different nitrogen application levels in 5 plants was shown as: medium nitrogen > control, high nitrogen > low nitrogen. (4) Among the two multiplying factors that affect NUE, five plants showed a clear tradeoff between nitrogen productivity (NP) and residence time (MRT) due to differences in life forms. Among them, P. americanum×P. purpureum introduced as a fastgrowing plant tends to increase nitrogen use efficiency by increasing nitrogen productivity; while native species of large shrubs, H. rhamnoides and A. pedunculata tend to increase nitrogen use efficiency by increasing residence time. According to the research, it is suggested to plant H. rhamnoides and A. pedunculata in the selection of vegetation restoration species and nitrogen intervention in the sandstone area, and the moderate nitrogen use can help improve the efficiency of nitrogen utilization of regional suitable plants and promote vegetation restoration and reconstruction.