Tree seedlings are planted on sites of widely differing climatic, edaphic and vegetative characteristics. Seedling transplant shock, defined as seedling mortality or impaired growth soon after planting, has been reported across this spectrum of planting conditions. Thus, transplant shock is used to describe a phenomenon that embraces many distinct physiological responses to stress. This review lists and discusses the potential sources of transplant shock for containerised tree seedlings and suggests options for minimising its detrimental effects for a range of specific causes. Through an understanding of the physiological basis underlying transplant shock under a given set of conditions, it may be possible to eliminate, or at least minimise, the effects of transplant shock on containerised tree seedlings soon after planting.