Large-scale forest plantations have been established worldwide to promote ecological restoration. However, the effects of climate change on the radial growth of these plantations remain unclear. To fill this research gap, we collected tree-ring data from 82 sampling sites including three typical plantation species across the Loess Plateau, aiming to analyze growth trends and their climatic drivers. The results showed that the majority of plantation sites (64 sites, 78%) exhibited a growth increase followed by decline, with most transition years to growth decline occurring after 2010. Climate variables explained more than 78% of the variation in tree radial growth, among which deep soil water content (30-300 cm) and precipitation were identified as the dominant influencing factors. Compared with those at sites showing growth increase, those experiencing growth decline were generally characterized by more unfavorable climatic conditions, including lower precipitation and deep soil water content, with the turning years from increase to decline often corresponding to abnormal weather events. This study reveals the decline of plantations after 2010 in the Loess Plateau and highlights the critical role of climate change in this process, emphasizing the importance of rational plantation planning and enhanced management under future climate change.