General Description:
Stems mostly unbranched, glabrous except in the inflorescence, arising from rhizome-like roots that freely form adventitious buds; up to 25 dm tall with alternate, lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, sub-entire, sessile leaves.
Flowers in long, terminal racemes, each flower subtended by small, linear bracts

Distribution:
Alaska to California east to the Atlantic Coast

Habitat:
Moist places, often in disturbed sites such as after a fire, after logging, along old highways, and railroads

Other:
This makes a beautiful flower bed plant, but it is advisable to plant it in an area which is confined by sidewalks, edging, etc. because it will spread by its rhizomes.
It makes a safe tea. The tea can be used for chronic, pasty diarrhea, to improve colon tone, a mild laxative, douches, enemas, and infant washes where there is inflamation of the orifices and tender folds. It can work as an anti-inflammatory for throat, stomach, intestinal inflammation, hemorrhoid inflammation that flares up after eating spicy or other irritating foods.