Leadwood is known in Afrikaans as “Hardekool” It is known to be very dense and heavy. If immersed in water, Leadwood will sink. It is one of the only wood species that sinks. Leadwood is reddish brown to dark brown in colour. Leadwood furniture is not offered for sale very often and this makes it valuable.The wood is dense and very hard, difficult to plane, but drills, sands and turns well. It is termite resistant. It was once used for railway sleepers and is now prized for ornamental work and furniture. Radiocarbon dating, done in South Africa, has established that a leadwood tree can live up to 1070 ± 40 years. A tree can remain standing for more than 80 years after it has died.