Abstract: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of α-glycerol monolaurate（α-GML） and plant essential oil on performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, intestinal morphology and intestinal microbiota of weaned piglets. A total of 120 weaned piglets with similar body weight and age were randomly divided into control group（fed a basal diet）, aureomycin group, oregano oil group, α-GML group, oregano oil +α-GML group and complex plant essential oil group（fed basal diet with 100 mg/kg aureomycin, 100 mg/kg oregano oil, 500 mg/kg α-GML, 50 mg/kg oregano oil +250 mg/kg α-GML,and 100 mg/kg complex plant essential oil respectively）, 4 replicates per group and 5 piglets per replicate. The experiment lasted for 28 days. The performance indexes（average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed to gain ratio）, the nutrient apparent digestibility, the villus height, crypt depth and villus height/crypt depth of small intestine（duodenum, jejunum and ileum）, and the number of Escherichia coli and lactic acid bacteria in the cecum and the colon were determined. The results showed as follows: the average daily gain in the α-GML group was the highest among all groups, which increased by 6.5% and 8.4% compared with that in the control group and the aureomycin group（P＞0.05）; the ratio of feed to gain was the lowest, which decreased by 4.5% and 10.2% compared with that in the control group and the aureomycin group, respectively（P＞0.05）. Compared with control group, the apparent digestibility of crude protein, ether extract, calcium and phosphorus was significantly increased in the α-GML group（P＜0.05）, the villus height in the duodenum, jejunum and ileum in the oregano oil group and the α-GML group, the villus height/crypt depth in the duodenum and jejunum in the α-GML group, and the number of lactic acid bacteria in the cecum and colon in the oregano oil +α-GML group were significantly increased（P＜0.05）, but the crypt depth in the duodenum in the α-GML group was significantly decreased（P＜0.05）. The results indicated that 500 mg/kg α-GML in the basal diet could significantly improve the intestinal villus structure and microecological environment, and increase the nutrient apparent digestibility of weaned piglets. The combination of 50 mg/kg oregano oil and 250 mg/kg α-GML could significantly increase the number of lactic acid bacteria in the cecal and colon contents of piglets.