The fruit is a woody obovoid capsule with an outer covering of short grey hairs, 2.5 to 3 cm (0.98 to 1.18 in) long, opening in two flat valves when ripen.

Previously, the wood was used to make joss sticks and incense, but in Hong Kong this industry has died out.

[2] The balm (resin) produced and accumulated from the wood is used as a valuable Chinese medicine called “Chen Xiang” (沉香).

According to Chinese medicinal literature, the resin can be extracted in large quantities by natural fungal infection or by external wounding (up to 5 cm into the bark).

Sections of trees trunks or branches that contain patches of fragrant, resinous wood enter into the trade under the name “agarwood”.