Upright plant, 1 to 3 feet tall. Leaves opposite each other, egg-shaped with long points, and coarse teeth. Flowers tiny, white to greenish in round clusters forming cylindrical spikes. The flowering spikes usually have a few small leaves at the end, as below left. Stems do not have stinging hairs, hence the name. Blooms in the summer.

Unassuming native plant of wet spots. Occasional in the Park, in moist spots along the bikeway.

Easily recognized by the clustered flowers along the spikes and the leaves at the end of the spikes, but also easily overlooked. Stinging nettle has stinging hairs and the flower spikes are less orderly and have no final leaves. Clearweed is smaller and also has flower spikes that are less orderly and lacking leaves.