Abstract: Plant growth regulator is a kind of synthetic plant hormone which can regulate the metabolism or physiological function of plants. It has been widely applied in agriculture, forestry and other fields. While the safety problems caused by the toxic and side effects of plant growth regulators could not be ignored, and the safety and effectiveness of the regulators should be ensured when using them. The kinds, effectiveness, research and application of plant growth regulators domestic and overseas, and the problems in utilization were summarized. The influencing factors of the effect of the regulators were analyzed. At last, suggestions and prospects for the further application of regulators were put forward, and the feasibility of the application in the field of ecological restoration was analyzed. Attention should be paid to the use of plant growth regulators: (1) Give appropriate dosage; (2) Careful combination of multiple drug types and scientific regulation of the use of plant growth agents; (3) Plant growth regulators should not be matched with pesticides to avoid adverse reactions.