Curly dock, a perennial weed, usually grows in wet areas and is frequently associated with overwatering or standing water in low areas. A member of the buckwheat family, it has characteristic jointed stems, a membranous sheath at the leaf base, and usually swollen nodes. The mature plant has stout stems and can be 2 to 5 feet (0.6 - 1.5 m) tall. Succulent cotyledons are 3 times long as they are broad. Young seedlings vary in color, from entirely green to being red tinged in the cooler months. The long, loosely branched inflorescence has green flowers that are not showy. The stem dies back in the fall while a basal rosette of leaves forms. Curly dock can grow from cuttings of its thick and fleshy taproot. Seeds may be dispersed by wind and water.

Range & Habitat: Curly Dock is a common plant that probably occurs in every county of Montana. It is native to Eurasia and was first observed in the United States during the 18th century. Habitats include seeps, glades, weedy meadows (including areas prone to occasional flooding), pastures and fallow fields, vacant lots, roadside banks and gravelly areas along railroads, edges of yards and gardens, and miscellaneous waste areas. Disturbed areas are preferred. Curly Dock occurs at sites with full sun, moist to dry conditions, and soil containing loam, clay-loam, or gravelly material. It withstands drought, temporary flooding, and occasional mowing. The seeds can persist in the ground for several decades (at least 50 years) and remain viable.