Abstract: Objective This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of restored plant communities in abandoned mining areas near the dam section of the Three Gorges Reservoir, where insufficient vegetation restoration, potential soil erosion risk and cadmium (Cd) pollution coexist, and to evaluate the Cd accumulation and translocation characteristics of dominant plants. Particular attention was given to the composition of restored vegetation and to differences among dominant species in their Cd accumulation and translocation behavior. The study was conducted to provide a scientific basis for selecting plant resources suitable for vegetation restoration in abandoned mining areas and for supporting vegetation reconstruction related to soil and water conservation. Methods Field investigations were conducted at 12 abandoned sites representing three mine types, namely gold, phosphate, and coal mines. A total of 55 quadrats covering tree, shrub, and herb layers were established to investigate plant community composition and structural characteristics. Soil physicochemical properties and Cd concentrations were determined, and Cd concentrations in different organs of 16 representative dominant plant species were measured. The relationships between plant community differentiation and soil habitat factors were analyzed. In addition, the Cd accumulation and translocation characteristics of the dominant plant species were evaluated using the bioconcentration factor of root (BCFroot) and translocation factor (TF), and their Cd accumulation–translocation strategies were further classified. Results Soil physicochemical properties and Cd contamination levels showed marked spatial heterogeneity among the investigated mining sites. The restored plant communities were dominated by herbaceous and shrub species, exhibiting a distinct shrub–herb structure. Plant community composition did not differ significantly among the three mine types, whereas community differentiation was mainly associated with soil organic matter. A total of 16 representative dominant plant species were selected. Root Cd concentrations ranged from 0.123 to 2.903 mg/kg with the maximum value in Rhododendron simsii, while BCFroot values ranged from 0.194 to 13.825, indicating substantial interspecific differences in Cd uptake and root accumulation. The TF values of most species were lower than 1, suggesting that Cd absorbed from the soil was predominantly retained in the roots and that its transfer to aboveground organs was generally limited. Only Erigeron acris had a TF slightly greater than 1, indicating a relatively stronger tendency for Cd translocation to aboveground tissues. Based on their overall Cd accumulation and translocation characteristics, the 16 dominant species were classified into three strategy types: root immobilization type, low-accumulation and low-translocation tolerance type, and translocation type with limited accumulation. Conclusions The dominant plants in abandoned mining areas near the dam section of the Three Gorges Reservoir generally adopted strategies of root retention, limited translocation, or tolerance-based establishment. Root immobilization species such as Rhododendron simsii and Quercus glandulifera show strong potential for root Cd fixation and could serve as candidate plant resources for Cd stabilization remediation in contaminated mining areas, providing a scientific basis for plant selection and configuration in vegetation restoration for soil and water conservation-oriented revegetation and Cd ecological risk control.