所谓“红木(mu)”，从一(yi)开(kai)始就不是(shi)(shi)某(mou)一(yi)特(te)定树(shu)(shu)种的家(jia)(jia)具(ju)，而(er)是(shi)(shi)明清(qing)以来对(dui)稀有硬木(mu)优质家(jia)(jia)具(ju)的统称。根据国家(jia)(jia)标(biao)准，“红木(mu)”的范围确(que)定为5属(shu)8类，33 个主要品(pin)种。用材(cai)包(bao)括花梨(li)木(mu)、酸枝木(mu)、紫(zi)檀(tan)木(mu)，它(ta)们不同程(cheng)度(du)呈现黄(huang)红色或(huo)紫(zi)红色。并且红木(mu)是(shi)(shi)指(zhi)这5属(shu)8类木(mu)料的心材(cai)，心材(cai)是(shi)(shi)指(zhi)树(shu)(shu)木(mu)的中(zhong)心、无生活细胞的部分。除此之外的木(mu)材(cai)制作的家(jia)(jia)具(ju)都不能称为红木家具。扬州红(hong)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)家具各种木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)材的特点(dian)如下：紫(zi)檀(tan)(tan)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)是红(hong)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)中(zhong)(zhong)的极品。其(qi)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)质坚硬，色泽(ze)紫(zi)黑、凝(ning)重(zhong)(zhong)，手感(gan)沉重(zhong)(zhong)，年(nian)轮呈纹丝状，纹理纤细(xi)，有(you)(you)不(bu)规则蟹(xie)爪纹。紫(zi)檀(tan)(tan)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)又分老紫(zi)檀(tan)(tan)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)和(he)新紫(zi)檀(tan)(tan)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)。赵氏《古玩指南(nan)》一(yi)书中(zhong)(zhong)则强调红(hong)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)为专门的树种，书中(zhong)(zhong)二(er)十九章曰：“唯世俗所谓红(hong)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)者，乃系木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)之(zhi)一(yi)种专名词(ci)，非指红(hong)色木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)言也(ye)”即可证明(ming)，书中(zhong)(zhong)的木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)之(zhi)一(yi)种，指得就是老红(hong)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)。老红(hong)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)产于中(zhong)(zhong)南(nan)半岛(dao)，中(zhong)(zhong)国云南(nan)一(yi)带也(ye)有(you)(you)生长，其(qi)叶长椭圆形、白花(hua)、花(hua)呈五瓣形，色红(hong)。“木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)质之(zhi)佳，除(chu)紫(zi)檀(tan)(tan)外，当以红(hong)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)为最”，这是书中(zhong)(zhong)对老红(hong)木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)的评价。乌木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)颜色乌黑发亮，结构细(xi)密凝(ning)重(zhong)(zhong)，有(you)(you)油(you)脂感(gan)。乌木(mu)(mu)(mu)(mu)多见制(zhi)作筷子、墨盒之(zhi)类的小件，少(shao)见制(zhi)作家具。
红木家具按产品用材分可分为全红木家具、主要部位红木家具和红木包覆家具三(san)种：
1、全红木(mu)家(jia)具(ju)是指产(chan)品(pin)所(suo)有木(mu)制零部位（除镜和(he)镜托板(ban)、线条外(wai)）都采用红木(mu)制作；
2、主要部位红木家具是指产品外表目视部位必须使(shi)用红木制作，内部及隐蔽处可使(shi)用其他深色名贵硬木或(huo)以外的其他优(you)质木材；
紫檀(tan)(tan)木(mu)：亦称(cheng)“青龙木(mu)”。堪(kan)称(cheng)稀世(shi)(shi)瑰(gui)宝的紫檀(tan)(tan)被世(shi)(shi)人誉为(wei)“木(mu)中之王”。紫檀(tan)(tan)木(mu)生(sheng)长(zhang)于热带丛林， 因其材质(zhi)绝伦，生(sheng)长(zhang)缓(huan)慢是一(yi)(yi)种百年生(sheng)长(zhang)一(yi)(yi)寸(cun)的硬木(mu)，非数百年不(bu)能(neng)成材，加(jia)之紫檀(tan)(tan)十檀(tan)(tan)九空出材率极低 ，故十分珍贵，自古(gu)以(yi)来都有“寸(cun)檀(tan)(tan)寸(cun)金”之说。
