茄科(ke)碧冬茄屬植(zhi)物。多(duo)(duo)年(nian)生(sheng)草(cao)本,常作一(yi)、二年(nian)生(sheng)栽(zai)(zai)(zai)培; 株(zhu)高15~80cm,也有(you)叢生(sheng)和(he)匍(pu)匐類(lei)型(xing); 葉橢圓或卵(luan)圓形; 播種(zhong)后(hou)當年(nian)可開花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)期(qi)(qi)長(chang)達數月(yue),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)冠喇叭(ba)狀; 花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)形有(you)單瓣(ban)(ban)、重瓣(ban)(ban)、瓣(ban)(ban)緣皺褶或呈不(bu)規則(ze)鋸齒(chi)(chi)等(deng)(deng); 花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)色有(you)紅(hong)、白(bai)、粉、紫及(ji)各種(zhong)帶斑(ban)點、網紋(wen)(wen)(wen)、條紋(wen)(wen)(wen)等(deng)(deng); 蒴(shuo)果,種(zhong)子極小,千(qian)粒重約0.1g。園(yuan)藝品(pin)種(zhong)極多(duo)(duo),按植(zhi)株(zhu)性狀分有(you):高性種(zhong)、矮(ai)(ai)性種(zhong)、叢生(sheng)種(zhong)、匍(pu)匐種(zhong)、直立種(zhong);按花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)型(xing)分有(you):大(da)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(10-15㎝以(yi)上(shang))、小花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)、波狀、鋸齒(chi)(chi)狀、重瓣(ban)(ban)、單瓣(ban)(ban);按花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)色分有(you):紫紅(hong)、鮮紅(hong)、桃(tao)紅(hong)、純白(bai)、肉色及(ji)多(duo)(duo)種(zhong)帶條紋(wen)(wen)(wen)品(pin)種(zhong)(紅(hong)底白(bai)條紋(wen)(wen)(wen)、淡(dan)藍底紅(hong)脈紋(wen)(wen)(wen)、桃(tao)紅(hong)底白(bai)斑(ban)條等(deng)(deng))。商業上(shang)常根據花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)的(de)(de)(de)大(da)小以(yi)及(ji)重瓣(ban)(ban)性將矮(ai)(ai)牽(qian)(qian)牛(niu)(niu)分為(wei)大(da)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)單瓣(ban)(ban)類(lei)、豐花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)單瓣(ban)(ban)類(lei)、多(duo)(duo)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)單瓣(ban)(ban)類(lei)、大(da)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)重瓣(ban)(ban)類(lei)、重瓣(ban)(ban)豐花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)類(lei)、重瓣(ban)(ban)多(duo)(duo)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)類(lei)和(he)其他類(lei)型(xing)(不(bu)屬于(yu)以(yi)上(shang)類(lei)型(xing)的(de)(de)(de)均歸(gui)為(wei)其他類(lei)型(xing))。喜溫(wen)(wen)暖(nuan)和(he)陽光充足的(de)(de)(de)環(huan)境。不(bu)耐霜凍,怕雨澇。它(ta)生(sheng)長(chang)適溫(wen)(wen)為(wei)13℃至18℃,冬季(ji)溫(wen)(wen)度在4℃至10℃,如低于(yu)4℃,植(zhi)株(zhu)生(sheng)長(chang)停止。夏(xia)季(ji)能耐35℃以(yi)上(shang)的(de)(de)(de)高溫(wen)(wen)。夏(xia)季(ji)生(sheng)長(chang)旺(wang)期(qi)(qi),需充足水(shui)分,特別在夏(xia)季(ji)高溫(wen)(wen)季(ji)節(jie),應在早、晚澆(jiao)水(shui),保持盆(pen)土(tu)濕潤。但(dan)梅雨季(ji)節(jie),雨水(shui)多(duo)(duo),對矮(ai)(ai)牽(qian)(qian)牛(niu)(niu)生(sheng)長(chang)十(shi)分不(bu)利(li),盆(pen)土(tu)過(guo)濕,莖(jing)葉容易徒長(chang),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)期(qi)(qi)雨水(shui)多(duo)(duo),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)朵易褪色或腐(fu)爛。盆(pen)土(tu)若長(chang)期(qi)(qi)積水(shui),則(ze)爛根死亡,所以(yi)盆(pen)栽(zai)(zai)(zai)矮(ai)(ai)牽(qian)(qian)牛(niu)(niu)宜用疏(shu)松(song)肥沃和(he)排水(shui)良好的(de)(de)(de)砂壤(rang)土(tu)。屬長(chang)日(ri)照植(zhi)物,生(sheng)長(chang)期(qi)(qi)要求陽光充足,在正常的(de)(de)(de)光照條件下,從播種(zhong)至開花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)約需100天左右。冬季(ji)大(da)棚內(nei)栽(zai)(zai)(zai)培矮(ai)(ai)牽(qian)(qian)牛(niu)(niu)時,在低溫(wen)(wen)短日(ri)照條件下,莖(jing)葉生(sheng)長(chang)很(hen)茂盛,但(dan)著花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)很(hen)難,當春季(ji)進入長(chang)日(ri)照下,很(hen)快就從莖(jing)葉頂端分化(hua)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)蕾(lei)。
喜溫(wen)(wen)暖和(he)陽光(guang)充足的環境。不(bu)耐霜(shuang)凍(dong),怕雨(yu)澇。它生長(chang)適(shi)溫(wen)(wen)為13~18℃,冬季(ji)(ji)溫(wen)(wen)度在(zai)4~10℃,如低于4℃,植株生長(chang)停止。夏(xia)季(ji)(ji)能耐35℃以上的高溫(wen)(wen)。夏(xia)季(ji)(ji)生長(chang)旺(wang)期(qi)(qi),需充足水(shui)(shui)(shui)分,特別在(zai)夏(xia)季(ji)(ji)高溫(wen)(wen)季(ji)(ji)節(jie),應在(zai)早、晚澆(jiao)水(shui)(shui)(shui),保持盆土(tu)濕潤(run)。但梅雨(yu)季(ji)(ji)節(jie),雨(yu)水(shui)(shui)(shui)多(duo),對(dui)矮牽牛生長(chang)十(shi)分不(bu)利,盆土(tu)過(guo)濕,莖葉(xie)容易徒長(chang),花期(qi)(qi)雨(yu)水(shui)(shui)(shui)多(duo),花朵易褪(tun)色或腐爛(lan)。盆土(tu)若(ruo)長(chang)期(qi)(qi)積水(shui)(shui)(shui),則爛(lan)根死亡,所以盆栽矮牽牛宜用疏松肥沃和(he)排水(shui)(shui)(shui)良好(hao)的砂壤(rang)土(tu)。
屬長(chang)日照植(zhi)物,生(sheng)長(chang)期(qi)要求陽(yang)光(guang)充足,在正常(chang)的光(guang)照條件(jian)下,從播種至開花(hua)約需100天左右。冬季(ji)大(da)棚內栽培矮牽(qian)牛時,在低溫短日照條件(jian)下,莖葉(xie)生(sheng)長(chang)很茂盛,但著花(hua)很難,當春季(ji)進入長(chang)日照下,很快就從莖葉(xie)頂(ding)端分化花(hua)蕾。
本種是一個雜交種,它(ta)是由 P. integrifolia (Hook.) Schinz et Thell.(=P. violacea Lindl.)和 P. axillaris (Lam.) Britton 二種雜交培育的。在世界各(ge)國花園中(zhong)(zhong)普遍栽培。我國南北城市(shi)公園中(zhong)(zhong)普遍栽培觀賞。矮牽牛(niu)原(yuan)產南美阿根廷。現世界各(ge)地(di)廣(guang)泛栽培。
花(hua)大而(er)多,開花(hua)繁盛,花(hua)期長,色(se)彩(cai)豐(feng)富,是優良的花(hua)壇和種植缽花(hua)卉,也可自然式叢(cong)植,還(huan)可作為切花(hua)。氣候(hou)適(shi)宜或溫室栽培可四季開花(hua)。可以廣泛用于花(hua)壇布(bu)置,花(hua)槽配置,景點(dian)擺設(she),窗臺點(dian)綴,家(jia)庭裝飾。