A tall tree with a buttressed trunk attaining a height of over 30m and commonly 1.0m or more in diameter. The buttresses are broad and blunt, but the bole usually is clean and straight, 20m or more above the buttress.

The Timber

A plain, pale yellow to light brown coloured wood. sometimes relieved by a zonal figure originating in the growth rings, suggesting plain oak. There is little distinction between sapwood and heartwood, though the latter is somewhat darker in colour. The grain is straight to slightly irregular, and the texture is somewhat coarse and uneven. It is soft to medium hard, and weighs about 560 kg/m³ when dried. The weight is often variable, due to a prevalence of lightweight brittle-heart, particularly in large, over-mature logs. It may vary from 480 to 625 kg/m³ but for general assessment, the average dry weight is as given. Idigbo dries readily and well, with little distortion and splitting, and shrinkage is small.