Cadmium (Cd) is a non-essential and highly toxic heavy metal element that has a strong toxic effect on plants through root absorption, transport and accumulation. Heavy metals are generally not degraded and are prone to bioaccumulation through the food chain, posing a long-term threat to ecosystems and human health, so measures should be taken to address cadmium contamination. Calcium (Ca) is a large number of nutrients necessary for the physiological processes of various plants, such as plant growth and development, photosynthesis, cell division and the like. Due to the chemical similarity between Ca and Cd, Ca can regulate the physiological metabolic changes of plants induced by Cd. Therefore, it is important to study the interaction between Ca and Cd in plants. Recent studies have shown that Ca, as a foreign substance, protects plants from Cd stress by relieving growth inhibition, regulating heavy metal transport and accumulation, improving photosynthesis, and mitigating oxidative damage. This paper reviews the effects of calcium on plant growth, heavy metal transport and accumulation, photosynthesis and oxidative stress under cadmium stress.