Cognitive deficits were one of the core symptoms of depression, which has become a major challenge in the treatment of depression. Ormosia henryi Prain (OHP) is a green perennial tree widely distributed in southern China. Previous studies demonstrated that it has antidepressant effects. However, the effect of OHP on cognitive deficits has not been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of OHP on cognitive deficits caused by chronic stress. A mice model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) was established to evaluate the cognitive improvement effect of OHP. Cognitive behavior was assessed with novel object recognition and Morris water maze test. The levels of GFAP and Aβ protein in the hippocampus were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that OHP significantly improved the short-term memory which presented as the increased discrimination index, and also alleviated the deficits of spatial learning and memory manifested as a decrease in the escape latency to reach the platform and an increase in the number of platform crossing. OHP could significantly increase the levels of 5-HT and DA、NE in hippocampal tissue. Moreover, it increased the levels of GFAP and reduced Aβ-positive cells in the CA1 region of the hippocampus of stressed mice. In short, this study demonstrates for the first time that OHP significantly improves the learning and memory abilities of chronic stress mice which may be related to the up-regulation of GAFP and down-regulation Aβ in the hippocampus, indicating that OHP may be a new potential drug for the treatment of cognitive disorders caused by chronic stress.