Iroko wood is harvested in forests in the eastern region of Cameroon. The tree achieves a trunk diameter of up to 1 m. The usually straight, cylindrical trunk often has root flares.

Freshly sawn iroko is butter yellow to brown yellow, sometimes with dark brown marks. The wood has a straight, sometimes irregular grain. Iroko has a medium coarse texture. Machine working produces a blunting effect on tools. This is due to deposits of calcium carbonate which are sometimes present in this wood. Surface treatment often proves very difficult. The wood dries rather slowly, and this can result in deformation and cracking.