Wood millet is a large perennial grass with soft drooping pale green leaves. Its sleek bulky hollow stalk can grow up to 150 cm in height. Its sparse flowers blooms in June and July.

Wood millet occurs in humus-rich, fresh groves, grove-like forests, peat groves, springs and meadows. It can spread widely in semi-open growth sites. It grows in almost all of Europe.

Wood millet has been used to perfume linen closets in the past, thanks to its pleasant scent. It is also grown as an ornamental grass in gardens.

Wood millet thrives well in nutrient-rich soil and is a typical basic species of moist heath forests. The aim of nature management of moist groves is to favour deciduous trees. This improves the properties of the wood millet’s favoured soil type. Spruce pruning creates more semi-open habitats the wood millet needs.