The species occurs in Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Kenya, Uganda, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Nigeria, Angola, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe and the northern parts of South Africa.

The crushed, slender-petioled leaves are pleasingly and distinctively fragrant with an aromatic oil reminiscent of sweet flag.

The intrepid naturalist William John Burchell came across Croton gratissimus for the first time on 19 June 1812.

It is traditionally used as a febrifuge, styptic, cathartic, and a remedy for dropsy, indigestion, pleurisy, uterine disorders, rheumatism and intercostal neuralgia.

[8] The second variety has stellate (or radiating) hairs on the upper leaf surfaces, and is found in Zimbabwe, Botswana and far northern South Africa.