In Forestry terminology, the forests of Kanha Tiger Reserve are broadly classified into the following types:
- Moist Peninsular Sal Forest
- Southern Tropical Moist Mixed Deciduous Forest
- Southern Tropical Dry Mixed Deciduous- Forest
However, for the general understanding purpose, the forest of KTR may be termed as ‘Moist Mixed Deciduous Forest with predominance of Sal’ and it may be classified in following categories:
- Sal Forest
- Mixed Forest
- Grasslands
- Bamboo with sal/mixed
Inside the Reserve Sal trees are the predominant species with its associate miscellaneous species and grasslands. Bamboo is also found almost throughout the reserve and it occurs both with sal and mixed forest as middle storey. The low-lying areas, which were once human settlements, are covered with varieties of grass, Sal and Bamboo are spread throughout the remaining lower areas. The Sal population goes down gradually as one ascends upwards with forests of mixed deciduous type gaining prominence on upper hills and hilltops with shallow soil and rocky outcrops.