A native of the Himalayas and Baluchichistan, at 1100 - 4000 m. It reaches heights of up to 70 m, with a girth of 1.5 m, and can grow up to 15 m in 20 years. It prefers deep moist soil and does best in cool climates in Australia, with a minimum rainfall 650 mm, but is a very adaptable tree. In the USA it is grown in California and the south.
The timber is used in Asia for the construction of temples, and was used in Egypt for making sarcophagi for mummies. Cedar oil is extracted from the wood.