In this paper, five riparian zone vegetation types were selected in the middle reaches of the Yellow River in Zhengzhou Xingyang to study the roots and soil properties in order to elucidate the relationship between the root distribution patterns and soil properties in different vegetation types, to provide scientific reference on plant community composition and soil quality restoration in riparian zones. The results showed that:(1) In the 0-40 cm soil layer, the mean root biomass density and the mean root length density were greater in the Phragmites australis community and the Phragmites australis-Cynodon dactylon community than in the Phragmites australis-Calamagrostis epigeios-Cynodon dactylon community, the Calamagrostis epigeios-Cynodon dactylon community and the Calamagrostis epigeios-Cynodon dactylon-Juncellus serotinus community. The distribution of root biomass density in the Phragmites australis community and Phragmites australis-Cynodon dactylon community was mainly distributed in the soil layer of 10-40 cm. (2) in the Yellow River tidal flat wetland, the soil of the Phragmites australis community and the Phragmites australis-Cynodon dactylon community are mainly silty grains. The soil of the Calamagrostis epigeios-Cynodon dactylon community, Phragmites australis-Calamagrostis epigeios-Cynodon dactylon community, and the Calamagrostis epigeios-Cynodon dactylon-Juncellus serotinus community are mainly sand grains. In the 0-40 cm soil layer, the soil moisture content, soil organic matter, available nitrogen, and available phosphorus content of the Phragmites australis community and the Phragmites australis-Cynodon dactylon community are significantly higher than Calamagrostis epigeio-Cynodon dactylon community, Phragmites australis-Calamagrostis epigeio-Cynodon dactylon community. (3) The root biomass density and root length density of plant communities in the Yellow River riparian zone were significantly positively correlated with soil clay content, silt content, soil moisture content, and available nitrogen (P<0.05), which were extremely significantly negatively correlated with soil sand content (P<0.01).