The splendid pagoda is an uncommon species that mostly occurs as single individuals or small groups. It has a rather large distribution, which naturally occurs from the Clock Peaks in the westend of the Langeberg near Swellendam in the west, via the Outinqua to Rondebos in the Tsitsikamma National Park in the east, a narrow, 300 km long strip. It is restricted to sloping terrain with a southern or southeastern exposure and a consistently high water availability. It grows on moist, aciduous, peaty soils always above 600 m (2000 ft) and mostly 1000-1200 m (3250-4000 ft) in a dense fynbos vegetation of mostly over 2 m (7 ft) high. Plants usually live for about twenty years. Flowering occurs during winter until September, peaking in May and June. The fruits are usually shed in January and February. As usual for pagodas, the flowers are pollinated by birds. And the fruits are gathered by native ants that carry them to their underground nests. Here the seeds remain dormant until the overhead vegetation is removed by an overhead fire and the seeds germinate in response to increased daily temperature fluctuations and washed-down charcoal chemicals. Plants of this species do not survive such fires.