To elucidate the physiological basis underlying provenance-dependent variation in seed germination of Acanthopanax senticosus， seeds collected from four locations in Heilongjiang Province， China-Acheng District （AC）， Mulan County （ML）， Gaoleng Town of Fangzheng County （GL）， and Tongbei County （TB）-were examined for phenotypic traits and germination performance， together with endogenous hormone dynamics during sand stratification and metabolomic profiles. The results showed that seeds from GL exhibited significantly higher germination rates and greater hundred-seed weight than those from the other provenances. In terms of hormonal regulation， GL seeds displayed the highest brassinosteroid （BR） content and the lowest abscisic acid （ABA） content at the late stage of stratification. Metabolomic analysis further indicated that prior to stratification， GL seeds were characterized by an accumulation of carbohydrates accompanied by reduced levels of stress-associated metabolites， whereas after stratification they preferentially enriched metabolites related to energy supply and biosynthetic processes. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis （WGCNA） revealed that the MEturquoise and MEred modules were positively associated with hundred-seed weight before stratification， while the MEyellow module was correlated positively with germination rate after stratification， highlighting key metabolite regulators. Collectively， these findings suggested that the superior germination potential of GL seeds was attributable to favorable seed traits， a more balanced hormonal status， and metabolically efficient reprogramming. This study provides a theoretical foundation for optimizing sand stratification practices and improving artificial propagation efficiency.

Acanthopanax senticosus  /  Seed germination  /  Endogenous hormones  /  Metabolomics