茄科碧冬茄屬(shu)植(zhi)物。多(duo)(duo)年生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)草本(ben),常(chang)作一(yi)、二年生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)栽(zai)培(pei); 株高(gao)15~80cm,也(ye)有(you)(you)叢生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)和(he)(he)匍(pu)匐(fu)類(lei)(lei)型; 葉(xie)橢圓(yuan)或卵圓(yuan)形(xing); 播種(zhong)(zhong)后(hou)當年可(ke)開花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)期(qi)(qi)(qi)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)達(da)數(shu)月,花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)冠喇叭狀(zhuang)(zhuang); 花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)形(xing)有(you)(you)單(dan)瓣(ban)、重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)瓣(ban)、瓣(ban)緣皺褶或呈不(bu)規則鋸齒等(deng); 花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)色(se)有(you)(you)紅(hong)(hong)、白、粉、紫(zi)及各種(zhong)(zhong)帶斑(ban)點(dian)、網(wang)紋(wen)、條紋(wen)等(deng); 蒴果,種(zhong)(zhong)子極小,千粒重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)約0.1g。園藝品(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)極多(duo)(duo),按(an)(an)植(zhi)株性(xing)狀(zhuang)(zhuang)分(fen)(fen)有(you)(you):高(gao)性(xing)種(zhong)(zhong)、矮(ai)性(xing)種(zhong)(zhong)、叢生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)種(zhong)(zhong)、匍(pu)匐(fu)種(zhong)(zhong)、直立種(zhong)(zhong);按(an)(an)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)型分(fen)(fen)有(you)(you):大(da)(da)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(10-15㎝以(yi)上(shang)(shang))、小花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)、波狀(zhuang)(zhuang)、鋸齒狀(zhuang)(zhuang)、重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)瓣(ban)、單(dan)瓣(ban);按(an)(an)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)色(se)分(fen)(fen)有(you)(you):紫(zi)紅(hong)(hong)、鮮紅(hong)(hong)、桃紅(hong)(hong)、純白、肉色(se)及多(duo)(duo)種(zhong)(zhong)帶條紋(wen)品(pin)種(zhong)(zhong)(紅(hong)(hong)底(di)白條紋(wen)、淡藍(lan)底(di)紅(hong)(hong)脈紋(wen)、桃紅(hong)(hong)底(di)白斑(ban)條等(deng))。商業上(shang)(shang)常(chang)根據花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)的大(da)(da)小以(yi)及重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)瓣(ban)性(xing)將矮(ai)牽牛(niu)分(fen)(fen)為(wei)大(da)(da)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)單(dan)瓣(ban)類(lei)(lei)、豐(feng)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)單(dan)瓣(ban)類(lei)(lei)、多(duo)(duo)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)單(dan)瓣(ban)類(lei)(lei)、大(da)(da)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)瓣(ban)類(lei)(lei)、重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)瓣(ban)豐(feng)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)類(lei)(lei)、重(zhong)(zhong)(zhong)瓣(ban)多(duo)(duo)花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)類(lei)(lei)和(he)(he)其(qi)他類(lei)(lei)型(不(bu)屬(shu)于以(yi)上(shang)(shang)類(lei)(lei)型的均歸為(wei)其(qi)他類(lei)(lei)型)。喜溫(wen)(wen)暖和(he)(he)陽光(guang)(guang)充足的環境。不(bu)耐(nai)霜(shuang)凍,怕雨澇(lao)。它生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)適溫(wen)(wen)為(wei)13℃至18℃,冬季(ji)(ji)(ji)溫(wen)(wen)度在4℃至10℃,如低于4℃,植(zhi)株生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)停止。夏(xia)(xia)季(ji)(ji)(ji)能耐(nai)35℃以(yi)上(shang)(shang)的高(gao)溫(wen)(wen)。夏(xia)(xia)季(ji)(ji)(ji)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)旺期(qi)(qi)(qi),需充足水(shui)分(fen)(fen),特別在夏(xia)(xia)季(ji)(ji)(ji)高(gao)溫(wen)(wen)季(ji)(ji)(ji)節,應(ying)在早、晚澆(jiao)水(shui),保持盆土(tu)濕潤。但(dan)梅雨季(ji)(ji)(ji)節,雨水(shui)多(duo)(duo),對(dui)矮(ai)牽牛(niu)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)十(shi)分(fen)(fen)不(bu)利(li),盆土(tu)過濕,莖葉(xie)容易(yi)徒(tu)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)期(qi)(qi)(qi)雨水(shui)多(duo)(duo),花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)朵易(yi)褪色(se)或腐爛(lan)。盆土(tu)若長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)期(qi)(qi)(qi)積(ji)水(shui),則爛(lan)根死亡,所(suo)以(yi)盆栽(zai)矮(ai)牽牛(niu)宜用疏松(song)肥沃和(he)(he)排水(shui)良(liang)好的砂壤土(tu)。屬(shu)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)日(ri)照(zhao)(zhao)(zhao)植(zhi)物,生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)期(qi)(qi)(qi)要求(qiu)陽光(guang)(guang)充足,在正常(chang)的光(guang)(guang)照(zhao)(zhao)(zhao)條件下,從(cong)播種(zhong)(zhong)至開花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)約需100天(tian)左(zuo)右。冬季(ji)(ji)(ji)大(da)(da)棚(peng)內栽(zai)培(pei)矮(ai)牽牛(niu)時,在低溫(wen)(wen)短(duan)日(ri)照(zhao)(zhao)(zhao)條件下,莖葉(xie)生(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)(sheng)長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)很茂盛,但(dan)著花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)很難,當春季(ji)(ji)(ji)進入長(chang)(chang)(chang)(chang)日(ri)照(zhao)(zhao)(zhao)下,很快就從(cong)莖葉(xie)頂端分(fen)(fen)化花(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)(hua)蕾(lei)。
喜溫(wen)暖和(he)陽(yang)光充(chong)足的環境。不(bu)耐(nai)霜(shuang)凍(dong),怕雨(yu)澇。它(ta)生(sheng)長(chang)適溫(wen)為13~18℃,冬季(ji)溫(wen)度在(zai)(zai)4~10℃,如低于4℃,植株生(sheng)長(chang)停止(zhi)。夏季(ji)能(neng)耐(nai)35℃以上(shang)的高(gao)溫(wen)。夏季(ji)生(sheng)長(chang)旺期(qi),需(xu)充(chong)足水(shui)(shui)分(fen)(fen),特別在(zai)(zai)夏季(ji)高(gao)溫(wen)季(ji)節,應(ying)在(zai)(zai)早、晚澆水(shui)(shui),保持盆(pen)土濕(shi)潤。但梅(mei)雨(yu)季(ji)節,雨(yu)水(shui)(shui)多,對矮(ai)牽牛(niu)生(sheng)長(chang)十分(fen)(fen)不(bu)利(li),盆(pen)土過濕(shi),莖(jing)葉容易徒(tu)長(chang),花(hua)期(qi)雨(yu)水(shui)(shui)多,花(hua)朵易褪色或腐爛。盆(pen)土若長(chang)期(qi)積水(shui)(shui),則爛根死亡,所(suo)以盆(pen)栽矮(ai)牽牛(niu)宜(yi)用疏松(song)肥沃和(he)排水(shui)(shui)良好的砂壤土。
屬長日(ri)照(zhao)植物,生長期要求陽(yang)光(guang)充足,在正常(chang)的光(guang)照(zhao)條件下,從播種至開花約需100天左右。冬季(ji)大棚內(nei)栽培(pei)矮牽牛(niu)時,在低溫(wen)短日(ri)照(zhao)條件下,莖(jing)葉生長很(hen)茂(mao)盛,但著花很(hen)難(nan),當春(chun)季(ji)進(jin)入長日(ri)照(zhao)下,很(hen)快(kuai)就從莖(jing)葉頂端(duan)分化(hua)花蕾。
本種(zhong)是一個雜交(jiao)種(zhong),它(ta)是由(you) P. integrifolia (Hook.) Schinz et Thell.(=P. violacea Lindl.)和 P. axillaris (Lam.) Britton 二種(zhong)雜交(jiao)培育(yu)的。在世界(jie)各國(guo)花園中普(pu)(pu)遍(bian)栽培。我(wo)國(guo)南北城市公(gong)園中普(pu)(pu)遍(bian)栽培觀賞。矮牽牛(niu)原產南美阿根廷。現世界(jie)各地廣泛(fan)栽培。
花(hua)大而多(duo),開(kai)花(hua)繁盛(sheng),花(hua)期長,色彩豐富,是優(you)良(liang)的花(hua)壇和種植(zhi)缽(bo)花(hua)卉,也可(ke)自然式叢(cong)植(zhi),還可(ke)作為切花(hua)。氣(qi)候適宜(yi)或溫(wen)室栽培可(ke)四季開(kai)花(hua)。可(ke)以廣泛用(yong)于(yu)花(hua)壇布置(zhi),花(hua)槽配置(zhi),景點擺設,窗臺點綴,家庭(ting)裝飾。