Phoebe cooperiana is a tall timber tree with a compact crown and a clean bole of 15-18m in length. It is found in tropical forests up to an elevation of 600m. Its bark is greyish, articulately furrowed, splitting into flakes. Sisir is known for quality timber.

The fruit is 2-3.5 cm long and ellipsoid. The immature fruit is greenish and becomes black on ripening. The inner part of the ripened fruit is oily, yellowish-green with a characteristic aroma and bitter taste. The fruit is also eaten by birds and wild animals. It is hard to spot this tree in the forest these days because of its selective felling for valuable timber mainly by plywood industries.