Recovery growth of Microcystis aeruginosa after sub-high temperature stress was investiga- ted in this paper. The treated groups under 35 °C were cultured for 3, 6, and 12 days before being transferred to normal conditions, and the algae under 25 °C all the time was set as the control. Cell density, chlorophyll a, carotenoid, malondialdehyde and antioxidant enzymes activities were measured. The results showed that the growth of M. aeruginosa was inhibited significantly under the sub-high temperature stress. The cell density and chlorophyll a content were 14.5% and 22.3% lower than the control respectively on the 12th day, but carotenoid synthesis was not inhibited obviously. The longer the stress was, the higher the malondialdehyde content and SOD, CAT activities became. After the relief of stress, algal cells got recovered with the decreasing malondialdehyde content and antioxidase activities. The 3-, 6- and 12-day stress treatments at 35 °C showed under-compensation, over-compensation and exact-compensation, respectively, indicating that the com- pensatory degree was decided by the time under stress. As the recovery time proceeded, the differ- ence between treated groups and the control reduced gradually. The growth parameters tended to be stable. Regression equations of cell density and chlorophyll a changing with the stress time and recovery time were revealed. The compensation effect of M. aeruginosa was similar to the process of algal bloom. According to this endogenous biological characteristic, this study provided a theoretical support for prediction system of algal bloom.