A novel phytoremediation strategy “rhizoremaliation” which utilizes synergy between macrophytes and microbes in the rhizosphere was proposed and its feasibility was investigated. Pistia stratiotes L.(water lettuce) was used as a model macrophyte and its ability to accelerate of degradation of aromatic compounds in the rhizosphere was evaluated. P. stratiotes could promote the growth of microbe, retain a large microbial population in the rhizosphere, 10⁹ CFU plant^-1, and efficiently transport oxygen to stimulate the rhizospheric microbial activity, leading to accelerated phenol degradation. P. stratiotes showed accelerated removal of aniline and 2, 4-dichlorophenol in the rhizosphere in addition to phenol, through the following mechanisms:(1) retaining a large population of the aromatic compound degraders, (2) stimulating bacterial growth and degradation activity, and (3) directly removing of aromatic compounds. In long-term phenol degradation process, phenol degradation performance in the rhizosphere of P. stratiotes was enhanced gradually and stabilized at a high phenol degradation rate, approximately 0.9 mg-phenol h^-1 plant^-1. Based on these results, the use of P. stratiotes and its rhizosphere can be a novel mean of effective remediation of contaminated aquatic environment.