It has slender, cylindrical stems with narrow, pointed leaves and clusters of small, light brown flowers that bloom in the summer.

It is also an important component of wetland ecosystems, helping to prevent soil erosion and maintain water quality.

Despite its ecological and cultural significance, Juncus acutus is considered to be of least concern in terms of conservation, as it is widely distributed and not currently threatened by habitat loss or other factors.

Juncus acutus is a brown and green[12] tussock-forming[6] perennial that can grow to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft)[12] tall in all kinds of soils,[13] in areas which go from extremes in flood and dry like dunes[4] or that just stay wet like lowland grassland and grassy woodland, riparian vegetation, freshwater wetland, and saline and subsaline wetlands.

[14] Found principally in low-lying damp, low fertility areas[14] like sandy sea shores and dune slacks and coastal flats,[14] occasionally in salt marshes[13] and disturbed saline areas, mine dumps, lowland grassland and grassy woodland, riparian vegetation, freshwater wetland, and saline and subsaline wetlands[14] The dimeric phenanthrenoid 8,8'-bidehydrojuncusol and the monomeric juncusol[15] and dehydrojuncusol can be isolated from J.