The adsorption characteristics of reed and cattail to molybdenum were studied. The toxicity, removal rate, adsorption process and accumulation of Mo were investigated in the short-term indoor-culture experiment. The effects of Mo adsorbed by two plants in nutrition solution with different concentrations were also studied. Due to the Mo toxicity, the color of stems and leaves of two plants had become scorch and the transpiration was declined. The cattail illustrated higher tolerance to Mo than reed when Mo concentration was in the range of 2-20 mg x L(-1). The removal rate of Mo by cattail was 87%, which was higher than reed (62%) with Mo concentration of 2 mg x L(-1). The absorption process of Mo by two plants was homeostasis, and the passivity absorption was the main absorption mechanism. Mo enrichment amount in cattail was higher than that in reed, and Mo concentration in shoot were higher than that in roots. The results displayed that cattail was Mo hyper accumulator. The absorption of Mo was not enhanced with the increase of nutrition solution concentration, due to the competition of other ions. The study suggested that the absorption capacity of Mo was significant by the two plants, and cattail was better for Mo removal than reed.