The leaves usually hairless; the basal ones are longish-oval with long winged stalks and rounded or heart-shaped bases; the upper ones are few and are triangular, tapered and stalkless.

The plant blooms from late spring into autumn, producing tall, erect, unbranched, and hairless stems ending in single terminal racemes that are club-like spikes, 5–7 cm (2–3 in) long, of rose-pink flowers.

[3] The plant grows in moist soils and under dry conditions goes dormant, losing its foliage until adequate moisture exists again.

Many of the following refer to the plant's use in making puddings: Bistort is a native of Europe but is often cultivated and has become naturalized in other parts of the world such as in the United States in New England.

It is typically found growing in moist meadows, nutrient-rich wooded swamps, forest edges, wetlands, parks, gardens, and disturbed ground.

[3] In Northern England, the plant was used to make a bitter pudding in Lent from a combination of the leaves, oatmeal, egg, and other herbs.