DOL is a perennial shrub growing to about 1 m in height, with a wide, deeply spreading root system. Stems are of medium coarseness, smooth, and straight; typically there are 3–4 stems in each bush, of which 2–3 are productive. Leaves are linear, grey-green, pubescent, and fringed along the edges.
The inflorescence is a drooping panicle 12–13 cm long, containing 5–6 spikelets, each with 24–27 florets. Florets are lanceolate, light brown with a purple hue; seeds are elongated, light brown, with a characteristic groove in the middle. The mass of 1000 seeds ranges from 5.5 to 7.0 g.
DOL is characterized by rapid maturity: the vegetative period until the first cut is 65–70 days, and until full seed maturity 85–90 days. It is drought-resistant, not damaged by pests, and withstands intensive pasture loads. Green mass yield reaches 11.0–14.5 t/ha, hay yield 3.7–4.0 t/ha, and seed yield 0.2–0.4 t/ha. Due to these characteristics, DOL is suitable as early green fodder, for hay and pasture production, and can also be used for landscape greening.
