[Objective]To study the effects of different seeds’ pretreatments on the growth and silymarin content of Silybum marianum Gaertn.and to determine the best seeds’ pretreatment.[Method] Before sowing,S.marianum seeds were treated respectively by different low temperature such as refrigeration,freezing,and ultra-low temperature.Germination rate,plant height,plant width,budding time and yield per plant were studied,and silymarin content of fruits was compared in order to sieve the best seeds’ pretreatment out.[Result]By comparison,seeds were treated by ultra-low temperature with lowest germination,growing badly and lowest silymarin content.Seeds were treated by natural overwintering(namely,autumn sowing) with growing well,highest yield and highest silymarin content.[Conclusion] S.marianum plants will grow well with high yield by autumn sowing.This is good for agricultural production and worthy of further studying. [Objective] To study the effects of different seeds ’pretreatments on the growth and silymarin content of Silybum marianum Gaertn.and to determine the best seeds’ pretreatment. [Method] Before sowing, S.marianum seeds were treated respectively by different low temperature such as refrigeration, freezing, and ultra-low temperature. Germination rate, plant height, plant width, budding time and yield per plant were studied, and silymarin content of fruits was compared in order to sieve the best seeds’ pretreatment out. [Result] By comparison, seeds were treated by ultra-low temperature with lowest germination, growing badly and lowest silymarin content. Seeds were treated by natural overwintering (namely, autumn sowing) with growing well, highest yield and highest silymarin content. marianum plants will grow well with high yield by autumn sowing. This is good for agricultural production and worthy of further studying.