[Objective] According to serious water pollution in rivers and lakes, six species of aquatic plants were selected for treatment of polluted water and water purification testing, in order to provide a basis for aquatic plant treatment in polluted water.[Methods] Six kinds of ornamental aquatic plants were chosen:Acorus calamus, Canna indica, Pistia stratiotes, Eichhornia crassipes, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Myriophyllum spicatum. Static hydroponics were used for the plants, in combination with different concentrations of phosphorus to simulate the effects of total phosphorus in the sewage purification.[Results] E. crassipes was found to be the best for removal of high (2 mg/L) and medium(0.5 mg/L) concentrations of total phosphorus in the water, with removal rates of 95.9% and 93.4%, respectively. C. demersum demonstrated the highest removal efficiency in the water with a low concentration (0.1 mg/L) of phosphorus, with a removal rate of total phosphorus of 91.1%. The combination of aquatic plants that was best for the removal of total phosphorus with a high concentration of phosphorus was C. demersum + A. calamus + E. crassipes, with a removal rate of 96.0%. In water with a medium concentration of phosphorus, A. calamus + E. crassipes + M. spicatum was the best for the removal of total phosphorus, with a removal rate of 98.8%. In water with low concentrations of phosphorus the best combination for total phosphorous removal was A. calamus + P. Stratiotes + M. spicatum, with a removal rate of 94.3%.[Conclusion] All the six aquatic plants have a specific total phosphorus removal rates, and the optimal allocation of the number, area, time and combination of aquatic plants can be used for the purification of polluted water.