bullrush, flag, cattail
蒲 centers on tall, reed-like water plants: bullrushes, cattails, and similar flags that grow in wet places.
蒲 combines 艹 (grass/plant) with 浦, which likely contributes the sound and the idea of a waterside location, together suggesting a waterside plant.
The grass top 艹 sits above 浦, a character associated with a bay or shore. Picture tall cattails growing at the water's edge.
For ホ, imagine a whole field of cattails swaying in the wind, and the sound they make is a soft 'ho': ho -> ホ.
kamaboko; steamed seasoned fish paste, usu. in a semicylindrical shape on a strip of wood and sliced to go in soup, etc.
common cattail (Typha latifolia); broadleaf cattail; common bulrush; great reedmace
sweet flag (Acorus calamus); calamus
iris (flower)
kabayaki; loach or eel dipped and broiled in soy-based sauce
Japanese iris; blue flag; Iris ensata
(of a choice) one being as excellent as the other; both so beautiful it is hard to choose between
gladiolus
German iris (Iris germanica)
Iris ensata; Ise Japanese iris
something that comes too late to be useful; iris (blooming) on the 6th (i.e. one day too late for the Boy's Day celebration)
fragrant iris; sweet flag; orris
zabuton (flat floor cushion used when sitting or kneeling; usu. rectangular)
Typha orientalis
round cushion used for Zen meditation (traditionally made of woven bulrush leaves)
Arctic iris (Iris setosa)
Iris ensata; Edo Japanese iris
wooly frogsmouth (Philydrum lanuginosum); wooly waterlily
Taraxacum albidum (species of white dandelion)
gristly fish paste (made of muscle, tendons, skin, etc.)