As sessile organisms, plants acquire sophisticated gene regulation mechanism through evolution to respond to changing environment. Due to intensified climate change, response of plants has been an important research topic. In many environmental factors, rising temperature and heat wave receive greater attention. This article discusses plant heat perception and heat stress response. Heat response regulation model is currently based on model plant, but there is an increasing research that uses woody plant as research material. Use of different materials among different research revealed that function of the genes participated in heat response cannot rely on prediction and more research is needed.