石楠屬常綠小喬木，臺灣原生，中國大陸、日本、印尼及菲律賓亦有分佈。樹皮灰褐色，縱向淺裂，皮孔褐色。葉長橢圓形至倒卵形或倒卵狀長橢圓形，細鋸齒緣而尖銳，革質，表面深綠色；幼時中肋上有褐色毛茸，後逐漸脫落成光滑無毛，背面多少帶有白臘粉狀，淡綠色。花小，多數，白色，呈頂生的複繖房花序。花期3~4月。果為漿果，球形，熟時由綠轉為鮮紅色，內有種子2~3粒。果期10~12月。

An evergreen small tree in the genus Photinia, native to Taiwan and also distributed in China, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines. Bark grayish brown, vertically shallow-fissured, with brown lenticels. Leaves oblong to obovate or obovate oblong, margin finely serrated, leathery, dark green upper surface; brown hairs borne on midribs when young, then gradually falling off and becoming smooth and glabrous, with few white wax powder on the underside, pale green. Flowers small, many, white, terminal compound corymb. Flowering from March to April. The fruit is a spherical berry, turns from green to bright red when ripe, containing 2-3 seeds. Fruiting from October to December.

喜強日照，以富含有機質排水良好的土壤為佳。以種子繁殖為主。

The plants thrive in full sun and soils with rich organic matter and good drainage. Mainly propagated by seeds.

可做庭園景觀樹、誘鳥樹。木材堅密，可製車輪及器具柄。葉和根可供藥用，為強壯劑、利尿劑，有鎮靜解熱等作用；又可作為土農藥，能防治蚜蟲，對馬鈴薯病菌孢子發芽有抑制作用。種子可榨油供製油漆、肥皂或潤滑油使用。

Suitable to be a garden landscape tree or a bird-alluring tree. The dense-textured wood can be used to make wheels and handles. Leaves and roots can be used medicinally as energetic agents, diuretics, sedative and antipyretic, or as local pesticides to control aphids and inhibit potato smut spores to germinate. Oil extracted from the seed oil can be made into paint, soap and lubricant.