Chinese　solar　greenhouse　(CSG)　is　an　energy　saving　production　building　that　used　to　grow　vegetables　in　winter.　The　north　wall　of　CSG　plays　an　important　role　concerning　the　vegetable　production　without　additional　heating　during　the　winter　months.　This　paper　studies　a　north　wall　of　a　CSG　which　is　built　with　three　layers,　the　phase-change　material　wallboard/the　block　brick　/the　insulation　board.　To　determine　the　optimum　thickness　of　the　three-layer　wall　for　passive　solar　heating,　a　solar　greenhouse　model　is　constructed　by　Energy　Plus　v8.6　to　study　the　dynamic　heat　storage/release　characteristics　of　the　wall　and　develop　methods　to　estimate　its　thickness.　The　results　show　that　the　optimum　thicknesses　of　the　phase-change　material　wallboard,　the　block　brick　and　the　insulation　board　of　the　expanded　polystyrene　in　Beijing　are　about　50　mm,　620　mm　and　60　mm,　respectively.　The　results　can　provide　reference　for　the　optimization　design　and　thermal　performance　analysis　of　solar　greenhouse.　(C)　2017　The　Authors.　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd.