Abstract: To address the core challenges of difficult vegetation establishment and slow ecological restoration in the coastal dredger fill of Nansha, Guangzhou, this study systematically diagnosed the key limiting factors of the dredger fill, quantitatively evaluated the salt tolerance of nine candidate plant species by field investigations, laboratory physicochemical analyses, potcontrolled experiments, and multivariate statistical analysis, and conducted field planting trials to select suitable salt-alkaline tolerant plants. The results showed that: (1) The 0~40 cm soil layer of the Nansha dredger fill was alkaline to strongly alkaline, with electrical conductivity and salt content far exceeding the standards for planting soil, accompanied by high bulk density and low infiltration coefficient, exhibiting multiple constraints, including salinization, compaction, and nutrient imbalance. (2) Seed germination tests revealed that Tamarix chinensis Lour. and Elymus dahuricus Tucrz. maintained relatively high germination rates under the highest salt concentration, demonstrating significantly superior salt tolerance compared to other species. Field improvement trials further confirmed that Tamarix chinensis Lour. achieved the highest emergence rate (84.5%) and survival rate (70.2%) under the treatment of plowing combined with acidic organic amendment, and was most responsive to treatment gradients. In conclusion, high salinity, severe compaction, and nutrient deficiency constitute the key limiting factors for vegetation restoration in the Nansha dredger fill. Owing to its exceptional salt tolerance during germination and robust adaptability under field conditions, Tamarix chinensis Lour. is identified as the preferred pioneer species for ecological rehabilitation in this region.