刺柏屬常綠針葉灌木或喬木，產於中國、日本等地。枝幹常彎曲匍匐，小枝向上斜展。葉片兩型；刺葉細短，通常對生或3葉輪生；鱗葉3葉輪生，近披針形。球形的毬果成熟時呈紫黑色，外表有白色的蠟粉；種子為褐色，無翅。

An evergreen coniferous shrub or tree in the genus Juniperus, native to China, Japan and so on. Branches often bending and creeping, branchlets oblique upward. Two forms of leaf: needle-leaves short, usually opposite or in whorls of 3; scale-leaves in whorls of 3, nearly lanceolate. Spherical cones mature purple-black, coated with white wax powder; seeds brown and wingless.

全日照環境，略耐陰。耐寒性強，亦耐瘠薄，能生於岩石縫中。對土壤要求不嚴，中性或石灰性土均能適應，但以肥沃、深厚及含腐植質豐富的土壤最宜，排水需良好。以種子、扦插或壓條繁殖。

The plant grows well in full sun condition, slightly tolerant to shade. Winter hardy and barren-tolerant, grown from rock crevices. Adaptable to a variety of neutral and calcareous soils, but particularly fond of fertile, deep, humusy and well-drained soils. Propagated by seeds, cuttings or layering.

可作庭園景觀樹或景石懸垂植物。是臺灣盆景培養場最主要的培育樹種之一。因具扭轉曲幹，可創作多種樹型。

Used as a garden landscape tree or a rockery drooping plant. It’s one of the most popular tree cultivars in Taiwan's bonsai industry because the twisted stems are easily made into various tree shapes.