Wetlands provide habitat for many types of plants. These include familiar ones, such as cattails and bulrushes, as well as many trees such as willows and poplars.
Plants play a very important part in the health of wetlands, they provide habitat and food for wildlife but wetland plants also play an important role in purifying the water. Contaminants settle to the bottom in the slow-moving water. Wetland plants often store contaminants in their tissues, after having drawn them in through their roots along with the water.