Panicum capillare, commonly named witch grass, is native throughout most of North America. The small seeds, which have a mild flavor, can be cooked whole or ground into a powder and used as flour.
Witch grass can also be found as an introduced species in Eurasia, and as a weed in gardens and landscapes.
Witch grass is an annual bunchgrass growing to a height of up to one meter. The leaves and the nodes are quite hairy. The plant has a shallow fibrous root system that anchors it in the soil.
The blooming period occurs during late summer and early fall, lasting about 2 weeks. The inflorescence is a large open panicle which may be over half the total length of the plant. At maturity it fans out, spreading to a width over 20 centimeters. When the seeds are ripe, they burst out and quickly scatter for long distances in the wind.