Plants upright (proximal branches often nearly prostrate). Leaf blades becoming red at maturity, apex usually acute. Inflorescences condensed, spikelike panicles, terminal and axillary.

Fruiting summer-fall. Moist disturbed soils, gardens, waste areas, alluvial plains; 10-500 m; introduced; N.B., Ont., Que., Sask.; Maine, Mass., Mich., N.Y., Oreg., Wis.; native to Europe, n Asia; introduced in many other regions of the world.