Canal plant species

Visit our canals and rivers and you’ll find a diversity of bright wildflowers, wildlife-friendly aquatic plants and a canopy of trees.

Wildflowers & plants

From the colourful yellow flag iris to the poisonous hemlock water dropwort, there are plenty of beautiful flowers and plants along our canals and rivers.

A thick bed of tall grown reeds with feathery flowers at the top.

Common reed

Forming yellow-brown beds, the common reed is an important habitat for birds, voles and insects

A plant with an umbrella of delicate white flowers grows amid greenery.

Cow parsley

This hardy plant with a distinctive umbrella of white flowers grows just about anywhere

Tall grass-like stems with clusters of pink flowers stand tall against a blue sky.

Flowering rush

Along the edges of our canals and rivers, flowering rush is identified by its attractive umbrella of flowers

Close up of four bulrush flower heads, which are brown vertical and sausage-like in appearance.

Great reedmace

Often referred to as a bulrush, the great reedmace grows in mud or shallow water at the edges of lakes, rivers and canals

Hemlock water dropwort

One of the UK’s most poisonous plants, hemlock water dropwort produces an unmistakable umbrella of white flowers

A yellow flower with dropping petals and grass-like green leaves grows by the side of the canal.

Yellow flag iris

This drooping yellow flower is a highly recognisable water-loving plant found across UK wetlands

Aquatic plantlife

The vegetation that lives under the water’s surface is vital for biodiversity and wildlife. Discover what lies beneath.

Small white flowers with yellow centres stand vertically surrounded by small lily pads on the surface of water

Frogbit

With its small disc-shaped leaves, frogbit resembles a tiny water lily as it floats on the surface of canals and rivers

A round purple flower sits on top of a thick purple stem

Water mint

The aromatic water mint is a pleasant sight (and smell) along our canals, and can be readily found across the UK

A bright green plant with star-shaped foliage forms a carpet on the water's surface.

Water starwort

Named after its tiny, floating star-shaped leaf rosettes, there are several species of water starwort

Multiple yellow flowers sprout up from short thick green stems surrounded by lily pads on the water's surface

Yellow water lily

This unmistakeable water plant has floating disc-shaped leaves and bright yellow flowers

A water vole sits in the opening of a round pipe that hangs over the water. The water vole is reflected in the water.

Discover wildlife species

From the endangered water vole to the elusive kingfisher, learn about the animals that live on, along and in our canals and rivers

Help nature thrive

Last Edited: 26 June 2025