The bark is dark grey to grey-brown while the heartwood is brown with a pink-red pigment made up of coarse interlocking grains.

The tree is native to Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Ivory Coast, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Togo, and Uganda.

Within its first year, the seedling develops a deep root system that makes it the most drought resistant member of its genus.

The bitter tasting bark is used for a variety of medical purposes; it is taken against fever caused by malaria, stomach complaints, and headaches.

Khaya senegalensis has experienced high amounts of exploitation, and little regeneration takes place once disturbance occurs.