As an important garden plant, research on Loropetalum chinense has received extensive attention both domestically and abroad. To fully understand the research status and frontier trends of L. chinense, based on CiteSpace visualization software, the relevant literature retrieved from CNKI and the Web of Science Core Collection database from 1900 to 2023 was quantitatively analyzed. The results showed that: (1) The analysis of the annual number of publications showed that the research on L. chinense showed a fluctuating upward trend in the two major databases. From 2020 to 2023, the number of research publications in CNKI decreased, while the number of publications in WoS increased, indicating that the related research and attention of L. chinense were gradually transforming from domestic to foreign. (2) The analysis of literature Keywords showed that the research of CNKI focused on the development and utilization of the comprehensive value of L. chinense, while WoS focused on the genetic basis and biological mechanism of L. chinense; (3) Comprehensive analysis showed that the research on L. chinense var.rubrum, community structure, and microstructure has become a hot spot, mainly focusing on the landscape and ecological functions of L. chinense var.rubrum. Future research should further investigate the medicinal value of L. chinense and promote the conservation and protection of its germplasm resources. In summary, research on L. chinense is transitioning from domestic to international, with a shift in focus from comprehensive value development to genetic and biological mechanisms. The research hotspots are L. chinense var. rubrum, community structure, and microstructure.