An annual, biennial or short-lived perennial, reproducing by seeds. This weed is a prolific seed producer that can spread rapidly. The stems are erect, up to 1 m tall, swollen at the nodes, hairy, branched if uncrowded or branched only near the top if crowded.
Flowers occur on individual stalks in a branched inflorescence.
Each flower has 5 petals, 20-30 mm long, and white in colour. Normally only one kind of flower exists on a plant. 20-30 C. Scouting Techniques Take a minimum of 20 weed counts across the field. Check hay and grain fields, roadsides, and waste areas for patches of this weed. Effects on Crop Quality Yield losses in alfalfa, clover, and small grains as a result of competition with this weed.