[Objective] To investigate the spatial and temporal variation characteristics and driving factors of vegetation cover in Panzhihua City, and to provide theoretical basis for Panzhihua City to formulate regional ecological environmental protection programs and maintain regional ecological balance. [Methods] Based on Landsat-EVI data, combined with natural and socio-economic data, we analyzed the characteristics and driving factors of vegetation cover in Panzhihua City during the period of 1990-2020 with the help of like element dichotomous model, Sen+MK trend, partial correlation and optimal parameter geographic detector model. [Results] (1) The spatial distribution of vegetation cover (FVC) in Panzhihua City was characterized by “low in the south and high in the north”, with high-grade vegetation cover dominating. In the past 30a, the FVC ranged from 0.635-0.792, with the area of degraded area accounting for 17.70% and the area of improved area accounting for 44.97%. (2) The area proportion of areas where FVC was positively correlated with precipitation and air temperature is 61.87% and 57.40%, respectively. (3) Land use, elevation, and air temperature are the main influencing factors of spatial differentiation of FVC, with the influence above 0.2; most of the interactions among the factors were shown to be enhanced, among which, the influence can be increased to 43% after the coupling of slope direction and air temperature; the influences of the driving factors on the growth of vegetation in the study area have their appropriate ranges. [Conclusions] In the past 30a, FVC showed an overall upward trend, but the vegetation degradation is obvious in some areas. In the future, regional vegetation construction needs to focus on the terrain distribution pattern and climate change when optimizing the land-use pattern, in order to cope with the challenges of sustainable development of vegetation ecosystems under environmental evolution.