It is endemic to China, where it occurs in Guizhou, Hubei, and Sichuan provinces.

[2] The species is threatened by habitat loss, and so is under second-class national protection in China.

In the past, wood from this tree, referred to as nanmu in China, was so valuable that only royal families could afford their use.

Notably, whole logs of Phoebe zhennan wood were used to create pillars for the Forbidden City.

The price on the 2012 market could be as high as over $10,000 per cubic meter.