Phyllanthus emblica is indigenous to a large area ranging from Nepal, India and Sri Lanka, throughout South-East Asia to southern China. In its natural distribution area, it is a light-demanding species, often common in grassy areas, brush and village groves. It is photosensitive, only producing flowers at a daylength between 12 and 13.5 hours. It occurs from almost sea-level up to 1,500 m altitude. The tree is slightly tolerant of alkaline soils and rather drought resistant, but some cultivars are sensitive to drought and frost. It is fire-resistant and is one of the first trees to recover after a fire. It usually starts bearing fruits when at least 8 years old, but sometimes trees start producing fruits when 5–6 years old. In many areas, full-grown trees are rare as a result of slow growth and exploitation. In Kampala, this tree can be found in Upper Mawanda village.

Emblic is a deciduous shrub or small tree; it usually grows 7.5 - 18 metres tall but occasionally can reach up to 30 metres. The bole, which is often crooked and gnarled, is up to 35cm in diameter. While actually deciduous, shedding its branchlets as well as its leaves, the plant is seldom entirely bare and is therefore often cited as being evergreen.

BARK: grayish-green, peels off in flakes.

LEAVES: simple, subsessile, and closely set along the branchlets, light green, resembling pinnate leaves. 

FLOWERS: greenish-yellow, borne in axillary fascicles.

FRUITS: depressed globose in shape, 1–2.5 cm in diameter, fleshy, and obscurely six-lobed, containing six trigonous seeds. They are green when unripe, and turn light yellow or brick red when mature.

An ornamental tree

Edible: fruits can be eaten raw or cooked and are can be used to make jams, jellies, tarts, chutneys etc., leaves can be cooked, unripe seeds, used in the manufacture of black salt. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Phyllanthus+emblica

Medicine: fruit, leaves, and the bark. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php id=Phyllanthus+emblica

Agroforestry: branches are lopped for green manure, used in reforestation projects to restore native woodland.

The bark, as well as the roots, leaves and immature fruits, are highly valued as a source of tannins.

The leaves are used for dyeing matting, bamboo wickerwork, silk and wool into brown colors. Grey and black colors are obtained when iron salts are used as mordant. The fruits are used to prepare a black ink and a hair dye.

Branches and chips of the wood are thrown into muddy streams to clear the water and to impart a pleasant flavor.

The dried leaves are sometimes used as fillings in pillows.

The dried fruits are said to have detergent properties and are used for washing the head, and a fixed oil derived from the fruit allegedly acts as a hair-restorer and is used in shampoos.

Simulated pottery jars are made from a paste of the boiled fruit, and the surface being decorated with impressed colored seeds.

The red wood is used for minor construction, furniture, implements, gunstocks, hookahs and ordinary pipes.

The wood is used as fuel and as a source of charcoal.