Drum tree is widely distributed in tropical Africa. It is found in closed forests and old secondary formations. A forest tree of the upper canopy in lowland and intermediate forest, but also in thickets in grasslands and in riverine forests. The tree is often left for shade in Eucalyptus and coffee plantations. In Uganda it is abundant in Budongo and Kibale Forests, occurs in Mengo, Masaka, Toro, Bunyoro and the Zoka Forest, but is less common elsewhere. In Kampala, Drum tree can be found within Uganda Golf course club, along Nakasero hill road, Buganda road among other places.

A large tree 30-35 m, the trunk wavy, rarely straight, the bole about 10 m before branching to a thinly spreading crown. Buttresses usually absent, or short and blunt.

BARK: pale brown, thick and rough with deep vertical fissures. A cut is yellow at first and then greenish, finally dark brown.

LEAVES: very rounded, alternate but at ends of branchlets, about 16 cm x 13 cm across with 3-7 main veins arising near the base, tip rounded, base almost heart shaped, edge wavy, entire or slightly toothed, smooth above but hairy brown below, on stalks to 12 cm.

FLOWERS: pale yellow and fragrant in heads about 25 cm long, hanging down, each flower, bell shaped, 5 jointed petals, longer than the calyx, but less than 2 cm.

FRUIT: ovoid, 3-4 cm, green then brown, pointed, cupped in the enlarged woody calyx.

Medicine: leaves, and seeds. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Cordia+millenii

Agroforestry: provide shade like in Eucalyptus and coffee plantations, used in reforestation projects, provides bee forage.

The fruits are added to soap to give it a pleasant smell.

Large pieces of bark are stripped from the bole to make hut-walls and partitions.

Provides timber which is suitable for furniture, cabinet-making, joinery, interior trim, panelling etc., and for hand and machine tools

The wood is used for making drums, gongs and small bells; and is one of the trees used for the Asante 'talking drums.

The timber is split into shingles that are made into bowls and other domestic articles.

The trunks are hollowed out for dugout canoes being adzed quite easily, and because of its lightness the canoes are unsinkable.

The wood is used for fuel.

It can be planted as a village shade tree.