Mature leaves are rounded in cross-section, though with grooved channel on the inner side, dark green and usually range between 0.5 and 1.5 m in length and 2.45 and 8.0 cm in width.

To make the rope, the leaves were cut, then taken and left to soak in water until the outer layer had split and rotted down which would allow it to be easily separated from the fibrous matter inside.

Fibres from the D. hanningtonii were short but very strong threads which were popular when making slingshots[2] During the 1970s, paleoanthropologist Bill Montagne was working in Olduvai Gorge and became injured.

He received treatment in the form of a natural bandage made from D. hanningtonii, after which he was so impressed, he began pharmaceutical research.

Dracaena hanningtonii was also traditionally used to treat circular weeping sores with the juice squeezed out from a snapped off leaf.