Paanisaj or Hollock is commonly recognized as East Indian Almond. It is a large evergreen tree that grows up to 40meters tall. This tree is usually spotted in forests, valleys, and lower hills at elevations up to 1,500 meters; evergreen primary and seasonal deciduous forests are located at elevations below 700 meters. Even though it can tolerate 7 - 39°C, it grows best in areas where the mean maximum and minimum annual temperatures are within the range of 22 - 32°C.

The species grows best in a well-drained, deep, fertile, loamy to clayey soil. It has varied traditional uses and is valued as a timber and landscape tree in its region. The species has a natural range of distribution that extends across the Himalayas eastwards through Myanmar to Thailand, Malasia, Indonesia, and Southern China.