Usually an erect plant growing up to one metre in height. The leaf blades are up to 40 cm long x 2.5 cm wide and glabrous. The inflorescence is a dense, compact, green, spike-like panicle up to 20 cm long, growing erect or sometimes nodding at the tip only.

The County Recorder has asked for a specimen of this plant to be retained for verification

Casual of cultivated and waste ground, road verges and rubbish tips, it is mainly introduced in bird-seed.

Flowering in summer and early autumn.

Annual.

Widespread in much of England, more coastal further north and in Wales.

Occurs as an occasional casual in Leicestershire and Rutland. It was not recorded in the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire.