Distributed across tropical Central Africa, it is one of two species (the other being Milicia regia) yielding timber commonly known as ọjị, African teak, iroko, intule, kambala, moreira, mvule, odum and tule.

The bark is pale or dark gray, thick but little fissured, and if it gets damaged it oozes milky latex.

The leaves are 5 to 10 centimetres (2 to 4 inches) long, ovate or elliptical with a finely toothed edge, green and smooth above and slightly downy beneath.

Male trees have white catkins that extend 15 to 20 cm (6 to 8 in) and dangle from twigs at the axils of the leaves.

In a study done in 2010, it was found that environmental change from different regions in Benin caused much of the variation in M. excelsa.

Specifically, soil characteristics and rainfall played a major role in the morphological variation of trunk growth of M. excelsa.

It can tolerate an annual rainfall of less than 70 cm (28 in) or six months of drought as long as there is a stream or a ground water source nearby.

The fruits take about a month to ripen and are eaten by squirrels, bats, and birds, which then disperse the seeds in their droppings.

[5] In a study done on the mineralization of M. excelsa,[6] it was observed that in certain conditions Milicia acts as a carbon sink.

[7] The people that conducted this study found that it would be a good method to use to specifically fight against the slow decline of the Iroko species.

M. excelsa yields a strong, dense and durable dark brown hardwood timber.

[8] Iroko has been used in recent refit work performed on the Royal Navy's 104-gun first-rate ship of the line HMS Victory.

It is often protected when the surrounding bush is cleared, ritual sacrifices take place underneath it and gifts are given to it.