In the northeastern US, climate projections include an increase in the frequency of mid-summer droughts, and winters that are warmer overall, but with periodic cold spells that can cause late-spring freezes and damaging cold-stress. Our ability to predict how the region’s forests will respond is limited by our knowledge of inter- and intra-specific variation in plant traits that regulate tree responses and the degree to which they reflect environmental or evolutionary drivers. This research addresses these uncertainties by (1) performing an in-depth study of the variation and drivers of turgor loss point–a key determinant of tree-level drought response– as well as associated cold and drought resilience traits and (2) identifying the relationship between drought and cold resilience in the individuals studied. The work is designed to identify intra- and inter-specific variation in turgor loss point, along with other traits related to climate resilience, for northeastern tree species through extensive field measurements and a manipulative experiment on genetically identical individuals. Additional measurements will be conducted at a site in Alabama with similar species at the southern end of their range. By taking a multi-trait approach to understanding climate resilience, we will also be able to characterize how drought and cold resilience relate to one another. Results will be used to improve an ecosystem model that simulates forest growth under a range of climate and forest management scenarios. This will benefit a range of management objectives that prioritize climate resilience and assisted tree migration.