Forests are divided into three major groups:

(1) Needleleaf forests or the temperate coniferous forests
(2) Broadleaf forests or temperate deciduous forests
(3) Tropical rain forests

1. Needleleaf Forests grow across large areas of North America, northern Europe, and northern Asia. In the United States, they are mixed with broadleaf forests. Needleleaf forests also grow along the major mountain ranges of the world and on some South Pacific islands. Most of these areas have very cold winters and cool summers.

Most needleleaf forests have sandy soil.

The major kinds of plants in needleleaf forests are coniferous (or cone-bearing) trees and evergreens. These trees, also called conifers, include cedars, firs, hemlocks, pines, redwoods, and spruces. Conifers have needlelike or scalelike leaves and bear their seeds in cones. Plants like ferns, fungi, and mosses grow on the floors of needleleaf forests.

2. Broadleaf Forests cover large areas of North America, central Europe, East Asia, and Australia. In the United States, broadleaf forests grow mostly east of the Mississippi River. They stretch northward into the Northern States and southern Canada, where they become mixed with needleleaf forests. Most of these areas have cold winters and warm, wet summers.

Most trees in broadleaf forests are deciduous. This means that they lose their leaves every fall and grow new ones in spring. Basswoods, beeches, birches, chestnuts, elms, hickories, maples, oaks, poplars, tulips, and walnuts are some of the types of trees found in broadleaf forests. The forest floor is covered with a thick growth of wild flowers, seedlings, and shrubs.

3. Tropical Rain Forests grow in regions that have warm wet weather the year around. These regions include Central America and the northern parts of South America, central and western Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands. These are also called jungles.

Most trees in tropical rain forests are broadleaf types. They never completely lose their leaves because of the warm, wet weather. These trees shed a few leaves at a time throughout the year. Tropical rain forests have a large variety of trees including mahoganies and teaks. The trees are large and with dense foliage (leaves). Their branches almost interweave. They grow so close together that little sunlight reach the ground. As a result, only ferns, fungi and only those plants that require little sunlight can grow on the forest floor. Many saprophytic plants, including lichens, orchids, and vines, grow high on the trees.