Introduction Global warming exhibits asymmetric patterns (differential day-night warming rates), yet its effects on early plant regeneration and physiological adaptation remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different warming regimes on seedling emergence, growth, and physiological traits of Sophora alopecuroides, in order to assess its invasive potential under climate warming scenarios.Methods A controlled experiment was conducted with symmetric warming, daytime warming (asymmetric), nocturnal warming (asymmetric), and a control treatment. Measurements included seedling emergence time and final emergence percentage, morphological traits (plant height, root length, leaf area), biomass allocation (stem dry mass, root fresh mass, root-shoot ratio, specific root length, specific leaf area), and physiological indices (antioxidant system activity).Results Emergence: Symmetric warming significantly advanced the onset of emergence, but none of the warming treatments altered final emergence relative to the control. Growth: Asymmetric warming induced stronger stimulation of leaf area than nocturnal warming; excessively high night-time temperatures suppressed plant height and markedly inhibited root elongation while reducing leaf area. Symmetric warming significantly increased stem dry mass, whereas asymmetric warming produced the highest root fresh mass among all treatments. Biomass allocation: Diurnal asymmetric warming markedly shifted biomass allocation patterns and morphological characteristics; it inhibited root elongation while increasing root biomass accumulation, resulting in an elevated root-shoot ratio but reduced specific root length and specific leaf area. Physiological response: Under diurnal asymmetric warming, plants activated their antioxidant systems to mitigate oxidative damage.Discussion Asymmetric warming (particularly diurnal asymmetry) may enhance the invasive potential of S. alopecuroides by promoting biomass accumulation and altering resource allocation strategies (e.g., increased root-shoot ratio and activation of antioxidant defense). These adaptive mechanisms might facilitate its rapid spread in the region under climate change scenarios.