扁柏屬常綠喬木，臺灣特有種。樹皮薄，灰褐色至紅褐色，常在老樹上呈縱條狀剝落；樹枝擴展，小枝扁平。葉鱗片狀，在小枝側作覆瓦狀對生，先端銳尖，表面綠色，有時帶有古銅狀綠色，背面淡白色並具有白色凹溝。雌雄同株，毬花單生於短枝頂端；雄花黃色；雌花球形，有珠鱗 3~6 對。毬果橢圓形，種子略有翅。

A deciduous or evergreen shrub or small tree in the genus Loropetalum, native to Central China. It’s a red-flower variant in the genus. Limb erect and much branched; branches and leaves hairy. Leaves opposite, ovate to elliptic, green to reddish purple. Flowers 3-8 clustered at the tip of the branch, 4 strap-shaped petals. Capsule ovate. Fully blooming in spring, and sporadic in summer and autumn.

喜強日照且冷涼環境，以富含有機質排水良好的土壤為佳。種子繁殖。

The plant prefers full sun and warm to cold environment as well as neutral to slightly acidic, well-draining cultural soil or loam rich in organic matter. Avoid adding lime in the soil nor planting in cement pots. It’s prune-tolerant and usually trimmed into topiary tree post-anthesis period, but avoid pruning at the end of summer as you may accidentally cut off the flower buds. Propagated by cuttings, grafting, and aerial layering.

可作庭園景觀樹。為建築、傢俱、器具、雕刻的一級用材。紅檜全株可提煉檜木油，具抗菌、消炎、治黴菌性疾病等功效。

The plant is prized for the red strap-shaped flowers blooming at the tips of branches and commonly known as "red color wood". Suitable to be trimmed as accent colored topiary shrubs in courtyards. Highly-tolerant to air pollution, the plant can also be planted along the roads as a colored green belt.