It is native to the eastern United States.

[1] This rhizomatous perennial grass has stems which can exceed two meters in height.

The leaf blades are up to 52 centimeters long and may be hairless to hairy, with a dense coating of hairs behind the ligules.

The paired spikelets are generally oval in shape and measure a few millimeters long.

[1] This grass grows in disturbed, wet habitat types such as ditches.