Young plants of Lonchocarpus cultratus (Vell.) AMG Azevedo & HC Lima were kept in conditions of field capacity (FC), flooding (FL), total submersion (TS), post-flooding (PF), and post-submersion (PS) so survival strategies could be evaluated. Analyzes were performed after 30 and 60 days of hydric treatment (DTH). Soil flooding resulted in the production of hypertrophied lenticels and adventitious roots in FL plants, whereas flooding resulted in the death of 18% of TS plants after 50 DTH. In addition, water saturation affected the formation of rhizobia nodules in the roots, resulting in a decrease of nodulated plants during the water saturation period. The TS plants were negatively influenced by submersion after 60 DHT. There was a decrease in the height, number of leaves, root-collar diameter and the dry mass of roots, shoot and leafs. The plant chlorophyll rate also was reduced. The ratio between the root dry mass and the total dry mass also decreased during the two periods. Low rates were recorded for dry mass of roots, shoots and total and root-collar diameter in PS plants. Results showed that the roots of FL, TS, PF, and PS plants had more soluble carbohydrates after 60 DTH. After 60 DTH, higher sucrose rates were observed in roots of FL, PF, and PS plants. Although flooding had a negative effect on the plants, the evaluations show that L.cultratus is tolerant to stress caused by flooding and total submersion in periods up to 60 DTH.