Baheda is a large deciduous tree found in a large number of Indian states, in areas up to an altitude of 1,000 meters. The tree takes a height of about 30 meters and its bark is brownish grey in color. It yields good-quality firewood and charcoal with a calorific value of sapwood being 5000 kcal/kg. The leaves are about 15 cm long and crowded toward the ends of the branches. It is considered a good fodder for cattle.

Terminalia bellirica seeds have an oil content of 40% whose fatty-acid methyl ester meets all of the major biodiesel requirements in the USA, Germany, and the European Union. The fruit rind is astringent, laxative, anthelmintic, pungent, germicidal, and antipyretic. It is applied in treating a diverse range of conditions such as cough, tuberculosis, eye diseases, anti-HIV-1, dyspepsia, diarrhea, dysentery, inflammation of the small intestine, biliousness, flatulence, liver disease, and leprosy. The fruit is also used to cleanse the blood and promote hair growth as an Ayurvedic drug. The kernel produces a non-edible oil used in toilet soap.