Found in Southeast Asia, it grows up to 51 m (167 ft) tall and is harvested locally for timber and fuel.

The tree may grow up to 51 m (167 ft) tall and 80 cm (31 in) diameter at breast height, with cracked and fissured bark.

The fruits, which appear in July, are approximately 8mm long, yellow-brown-black capsules, filled with many small winged seeds.

Two subspecies are recorded:[3] Cratoxylum sumatranum is indigenous to Southeast Asia, including Borneo, Malaya, and the Philippines.

[3] It is found in disturbed open areas, especially on hillsides and ridges on clay or sandy soils.