Everywhere incorrectly called reeds. Perennial herbaceous plant up to 3.5-4 m tall, grayish-green, with a large (up to 30 cm long) panicle, broad leaves.
Grows in swamps, along the banks of rivers, streams, ditches and as a weed in damp places. Forms thickets.
In the leaves of the reed is up to 500 mg% of ascorbic acid, vitamin A was found.
In folk medicine, it has long been used as a diuretic and diaphoretic in the form of an infusion of stems and leaves.
Dried and crushed rhizomes are used to prepare flour, to which wheat or rye is added for binding. A coffee surrogate is prepared from roasted rhizomes.