Maytenus undata is sometimes a much-branched, unarmed shrub, also right from the base as seen here; at other times it becomes a single-stemmed tree.

Its bark is grey-brown and smooth, finely fissured, flaking and somewhat rough on old stems. The underbark may be pinkish where exposed from flaking. Young stems tend to be angular, purplish in colour.

The wood is light brown, the heartwood reddish brown, fine-grained and heavy. It is easy to use in carpentry, was used in the past in wagon building and for furnishing farm tools (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002).