Gmelina is a fast-growing,  moderately sized to large deciduous tree with a wide spreading canopy with numerous branches forming a large shady crown. It can grow from 3 - 30 meters tall, sometimes even taller. The straight, cylindrical bole is commonly around 50cm in diameter, but specimens up to 140cm have been recorded. It can be unbranched for 6 - 10 meters.

The tree is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials. The wood is of very good quality, it is used locally and also frequently traded. The tree has suitable characteristics for agro-forestry, with fast growth, ease of establishment, and relative freedom from pests outside its natural range (it can be browsed repeatedly without damage).

It has been introduced as a plantation species in many countries, and large plantations are found in The Philippines and generally  around South-East Asia, West Africa and South America.

The Mahogany tree is one of the non-indigenous  trees recommended for reforestation by the Philippine forestry authorities. This tree produces a reddish colored wood which is favored for use in indoor furniture, yard furniture and marine use.

Big leaf mahogany is a slow-growing, very large, evergreen or briefly deciduous tree with an open, rounded crown. It usually reaches a height of 30 - 40 meters, but specimens up to 60 meters tall can be found in favorable conditions.

The bole is straight and cylindrical with a buttressed base - it usually has a diameter of 100 - 120cm, but in exceptional conditions up to 280cm has been recorded.

A very well-known and valuable timber, mahogany is regarded as the world’s finest timber for high-class furniture and cabinet work. Since the 1500s, mahogany has been a prized timber product—a building block for high-quality furniture and musical instruments,valued for its deep reddish color, durability, and beauty.

With populations everywhere in steep decline.  It is now cultivated in plantations in many parts of the tropics.