It is native to North America, including Canada from Quebec to British Columbia, the western United States and the Dakotas, and southwestern and Central Mexico.

[1] It is a resident of varied open and woodland habitats.

This is a tall glandular, hairy annual herb occasionally reaching 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) in height.

It is somewhat gangly and thin like an erect weed, with narrow, curving, pointed leaves up to a few centimetres in length.

They are generally light purple or pink, with darker veining.