Distribution: Occurring west of the Cascades crest in lowland western Washington; British Columbia to California, east to the Rocky Mountains; also in eastern North America.

Habitat: Weed of disturbed soil and wasteland.

Flowers: May-July

Origin: Introduced from Europe

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Self-pollination, moths, hummingbirds

Annual, the stems simple or branched, 1-4 dm. tall, conspicuously pubescent with stiff, white hairs, glandular-pubescent above.

Leaves opposite, the few basal leaves oblanceolate to spatulate, broadly petiolate; cauline leaves narrower, 1.5-4 cm. long and 2-8 mm. broad.

Flowers several to numerous in a simple to compound, leafy-bracteate raceme; calyx tubular, 5-lobed, 10-nerved, 6-9 mm. long, inflating in fruit, constricted at the orifice, glandular-pubescent, with stiff hairs up to 2 mm. long; petals 5, whitish to pink, lavender, or deep purple; claw of the petal narrow, 4-6 mm. long, the blade elliptic-obovate, usually entire, slightly twisted, making the corolla look like a pinwheel; blade appendages 2, linear, entire, 1 mm. long; ovary stalk 1 mm. long; stamens 10; styles 3.

Capsule 3-celled.