This plant grows to a height of 20 to 50 cm with a robust stem with rather drawn up oblong basal leaves.

The inflorescence forms a purplish dense cone consisting of from 10 to 40 flowers.

[5] Two subspecies are recognized:[6] It is well distributed around Europe, reaching as far north as southern Sweden, but rather rare in the Mediterranean areas.

It is extremely rare in Britain and a protected species, occurring only at the Rex Graham nature reserve in Suffolk and the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire.

[7] Orchis militaris contains the nutritious polysaccharide glucomannan, and is one of the original species of orchid whose ground-up roots are used to make the drink salep.