Bear-grass is an herbaceaous perennial that grows in clumps of basal leaves reaching 1.5 m tall. The leaves are grass-like, but tough and evergreen, with fine teeth on the margins. The stems bear much shorter, bract-like leaves. The tiny white flowers are borne in showy terminal clusters. Bear-grass is common in clearings, meadows, and open to fairly dense forest from low to subalpine elevations.