Medium size grass, about 2-3 feet tall. branching at the base to produce multiple flowering stems. Leaves alternate on stems, about 8 inches long and 1/2 inch wide, not hairy. Inflorescence elongated, bristly and resembling a fox's tail. The inflorescence is made of many flowers called spikelets, with many bristles each. The bristles give the inflorescence a yellow color, changing to tawny as they mature. Blooms in late summer.

An alien grass introduced from Europe. Likes highly disturbed areas and rarely spreads into natural areas. In Wildwood it is common along the Riverway, in sunny areas, especially in the Great South Meadow.

Nodding foxtail or Japanes bristle-grass (S. faberi) has larger inflorescences which droop when mature, and has hairy leaves.