abstract: Sandy silt and silty loam (loess) formations of south east Poland are presented on geological maps as loess. Such presentation is questioned since the textural differences can result in soil properties affecting soil quality. This study aimed to determine texture and some chemical and physical properties in main horizons of Luvisols derived from the both formations under forest and arable cropping. The results indicated that soils derived from sandy silt compared to loess formations at comparable horizons are characterised by greater sand content, bulk density and acidity and lower soil organic carbon, Fe concentration, specific surface area and porosity for pores retaining plant available water. The soils under forest compared to those under arable cropping showed greater soil organic carbon content, acidity, Fe concentration and lower bulk density. The differences were affected by soil horizon. It has been stated that the total porosity of the soils derived from sandy-silt formations was smaller than in the soils of loess origin and the differences were the most evident in the upper parts of the profiles of the forest soils. The amount of macropores in the forest soils, created from both parent materials was considerably higher than in the arable soils, while the soils derived from sandy-silt formations were characterized by generally lower amount of mesopores and micropores than in the soils created from loess. The amount of water easily available for plants was considerably lower in the soils created from sandy-silt formations than in the soils of loess origin - it was especially well seen for the forest soils. The amount of water difficult available for plants was generally considerably higher than the amount of water easily available, in all the investigated soil profiles and it practically did not depend on the kind of parent material.