Abstract: Standard sample plots were established in October of 2017 in broad-leaved forest, Phyllostachys edulis forest, Cunninghamia lanceolata forest, Pinus massoniana forest, mixed broadleaf and conifer forest, shrub in Jiangshan city, Zhejiang province, to study their litter water holding capacity. The results demonstrated that litter reserves ranged 7.86-25.64 t/ha, ordered by mixed broadleaf and conifer forest＞broad-leaved forest＞ pine forest＞Chinese fir forest＞bamboo forest＞shrub, and the litter thickness had positive relation with reserves. The largest capacity of water holding changed from 11.19 to 33.42 t /ha, and the effective water retention rate from 87.37% to 126.41%. The order of effective water retention was followed by mixed broadleaf and conifer forest (25.18 t/ha)＞broad-leaved forest(22.38 t/ha)＞Chinese fir forest(21.87 t/ha)＞pine forest(19.01 t/ha)＞bamboo forest(15.01 t/ha)＞shrub(7.86 t/ha). The experiments resulted that broad-leaved forest had better water holding capacity than coniferous forest, water holding capacity of litter had logarithmic function with soaking time, and water absorption rate had power function relation with soaking time.