BACKGROUND: Constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment are vegetated by wetland plants. Wetland plants are an important component of wetlands, and the plants have several roles in relation to the livestock wastewater treatment processes. The objectives of this study were to investigate the growth characteristics and nutrient absorption of water plants in constructed wetlands for treating livestock wastewater. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, livestock wastewater treatment plant by constructed wetlands consisted of $1^{st}$ water plant filtration bed, $2^{nd}$ activated sludge bed, $3^{rd}$ vertical flow(VF), $4^{th}$ horizontal flow(HF) and $5^{th}$ HF beds. Phragmites communis TRINIUS(PHRCO) was transplanted in $3^{rd}$ VF bed, Iris pseudoacorus L(IRIPS) was transplanted in $4^{th}$ HF bed and PHRCO, IRIPS and Typha orientalis PRESEL(THYOR) were transplanted in $5^{th}$ HF. Growth of water plants in constructed wetlands were the highest in October. The IRIPS growth was higher than other plant as 264 g/plant in October. The absorption of nitrogen and phosphorus by IRIS were 3.38 g/plant and 0.634 g/plant, respectively. The absorption of K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn by water plants were higher in the order of IRIPS > THYOR > PHRCO. CONCLUSION(S): The absorption of nutrients by water plants were higher on the order of IRIPS > THYOR > PHRCO in constructed wetlands for treating livestock wastewater.