Due to the complex interaction between vegetation and hydrodynamics, research progress in the characteristics of flows with vegetation from both home and abroad were reviewed in three aspects, including flow resistance, vegetation-induced turbulence and wave attenuation. The quantitative relationship between Manning coefficient and vegetation features, and the relationship between drag factors and vegetation features under different hydrodynamic conditions were summarized. The vertical distribution of stream-wise velocity and turbulence caused by vegetation as well as the wave attenuation effects by vegetation in costal zones were also discussed. Aiming at the shortcomings in the current research of vegetated flow hydrodynamics, the future research direction in this field were proposed, including the drag factors, the turbulent characteristics of vegetated flows and the coupling mechanisms of vegetation-flow-wave.