The relationships between the cover of herbaceous species and 15 soil chemical properties (organic carbon contents, total N, available P, exchangeable K, Na, Ca and Mg, HCl-extractable Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in nine poorly controlled waste landfill sites in Korea were examined by correlation analysis and multiple regression equations. Species showed different patterns of correlation between their cover values and soil chemical properties. The cover of Ambrosia artemisiifolia var. elatior, Aster subulatus var. sandwicensis and Erechtites hieracifolia were negatively correlated with the contents of Fe, Mn and Ni within landfill soils. Total cover of all species in quadrats was positively correlated with the contents of Cd and negatively correlated with the contents of Mn and Fe from stepwise regression analysis with 15 soil properties. Canonical correspondence analysis demonstrated that the distribution of native and exotic plants on poorly controlled landfills was significantly influenced by the contents of Na and Ca in soils, respectively.