The main stem of Mimusops zeyheri is sometimes straight, often not. Old and thick stems have grey, dark brown or blackish bark that gradually loses its smoothness, becoming rough from fissuring, cracking deeply into blocks. The numerous, often crooked branches make for a broad, rounded canopy. The long-petioled, dark green leaves are glossy on top.

The young branches are dark reddish here, sooner or later to turn grey and smooth or hairless, but initially the velvety, rusty hairs are dense, lying flat on the youngest stem growth.

The wood of M. zeyheri is pale red-brown to pink-brown and hard, used to make farm implements, occasionally as a general-purpose timber. It may cause sneezing when worked (Coates Palgrave, 2002; Schmidt, et al, 2002; Van Wyk and Van Wyk, 1997; Pooley, 1993; Codd, 1951; iNaturalist).