Keteleeria evelyniana is found in moist evergreen and dry evergreen hill forests, conifer and mixed semi-evergreen forests at elevations between 700-3000m, but mostly between 1000-2000m. In Lao PDR and Vietnam, this species has very specific habitat requirements, being found only on well drained ridges gentle slopes, and flat areas at high elevations. The open conifer forest in montane areas of northern Lao PDR is dominated by K. evelyniana, which may occur in pure stands or mixed with Pinus kesiya and species of Fagaceae. In Vu Quang Nature Reserve, in the Vietnamese northern Annamites, only eight mature trees are known to exist.