This plant has several erect stems that grow from the root and stand 6-12 inches tall. The stems and branches are covered with stiff, coarse hairs. The leaves are opposite and range from 3/4-2 3/4 inches long. They are attached directly to the 4-sided stem. The 2-lipped flowers, which are lavender to purple with purple stripes in the throat, are about 1/2-1 inch long and up to 1 inch across. They grow in the leaf axils on very short stems and are scattered here and there on the main stem.

These bell-shaped flowers occur in leaf axils in late spring; with sufficient moisture, they repeat in late summer. The flowers are pale lavender to purple in color and two-lipped.