The recent progresses on mechanisms of woody plants adaptation to acid soils were reviewed. This summary focused on organic acids secretion from woody plants roots under aluminum (Al) stress, mechanisms of Al uptake and transport, coadaptation mechanisms of woody plants to Al stress and different nitrogen or phosphorus stress, taking lespedeza (Lespedeza bicolor), a pioneer plant well adapted to acid infertile soils, and oil tea (Camellia oleifera), an Al hyperaccumulator, as examples. Woody plants could also be divided into Al accumulators and Al excluders according to Al accumulation in leaves, similar to herbs; The exudation of malate and citrate is one of the important Al-resistance mechanisms in L. bicolor; Oil tea could accumulate Al efficiently due to the efficient influx of Al3+ and Al-F, widespread across acid soils, into the roots and its efficient distribution and transport of Al by the coordination between xylem transport and phloem transport in specific seasons; Ammonium alleviated the toxicity of Al in L. bicolor in solution culture compared with nitrate; Phosphorus enhanced Al resistance in the Al-resistant L. bicolor species but not in the Al-sensitive L. cuneata. Further investigation on mechanisms of woody plants adaptation to acid soils will contribute to the complement and improvement of the theories on Al tolerance and transport and to provide theoretic foundation for mineral nutrients management in acid soils.