<p>Climate change is causing hotter, drier conditions that are creating stresses in forest ecosystems. These environmental conditions are further intensified on forest restoration sites, where recently planted seedlings are increasingly vulnerable to microclimatic extremes that can lead to mortality. One option for improving seedling survival is for nurseries to produce stocktypes having morphological and physiological attributes that provide a better chance of becoming established on hot, dry restoration sites. This article outlines the climate change effects on environmental conditions at forest restoration sites in western North America and arid regions worldwide, together with the effects of these limiting conditions on seedling planting stress that, in turn, affects seedling field performance (i.e., survival and growth). Seedling quality attributes shown to improve establishment under hot, dry reforestation site conditions are presented. Plant functional traits that naturally-established seedlings in the wild exhibit in response to harsh field sites are introduced. Finally, key attributes of conifer stocktypes with the best chance of good field performance under hot, dry forest restoration site conditions are proposed. The following summarizes the key attributes of the seedling stocktypes destined for a wet-season and an edge-season outplanting window. Seedlings are a container-grown stocktype, with deep root-plugs so new roots develop where soil water is available after outplanting. The shoot- and root-systems are morphologically balanced at lift. Ideally, there are fewer needle primordia in terminal buds to limit subsequent shoot elongation, thus contributing to a new shoot-to-root balance after outplanting. Seedlings have maximum root growth after outplanting that also contributes to this new shoot-to-root balance, along with optimal nutrient status and stress resistance to drought and heat.</p>