The bark on bigger stems of Catha edulis becomes grey, either remaining pale or becoming black on old trees. Initially smooth, the bark grows rough and cracked in a fine, grid-like pattern.

The distribution of the species includes parts of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, the eastern parts of Mpumalanga and Limpopo, as well as many countries of tropical Africa. The habitat is variable, including evergreen forest, forest margins, open woodland and rocky, wooded slopes. It is sometimes a forest pioneer.

The wood of this tree is sometimes used for rafters, building poles, carpentry including cabinet making, carving and wood pulp (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; www.plantzafrica.com).