【Objective】 To provide to a scientific and reliable basis for the efficient utilization of Xinjiang safflower by clearly dividing the test materials through a comprehensive analysis of the growth, development and photosynthetic characteristics of 22 Xinjiang oil-medicine safflower germplasm resources in different pilots.【Methods】 Experiments were conducted in Urumqi and Qitai County in Xinjiang to record the growth and development period of safflower at the initial flowering stage, LA-S (Wanshen) plant leaf analysis system was used to determine the leaf area and leaf color of the test materials, and the SPAD502 ChlorophyⅡ Meter and Li-6400 portable photosynthesis meter were employed to determine the leaf chlorophyll and photosynthetic indicators.After maturity, the main agronomic traits were determined, and the test materials were divided by principal component analysis and cluster analysis.【Result】 The materials tested showed big differences in the different experimental growth periods, the growth period in Qitai was increased significantly, with an average growth period of 132 d, the average in Urumqi growth period was 94 d.The same test material showed the same pattern in different pilots, and the leaf shape was quite different.The average perimeter of the tested materials in Qitai was larger than that of Urumqi, and the average length/width was smaller than that of Urumqi, and the leaves were darker in color.Co-variance analysis found that, between the tested pilot plant yield materials were not significant, but the significant difference was found between varieties; There were significant differences in the interaction of other main traits among pilots, varieties, and pilot × varieties, environmental factors were also the main factors causing the variation of safflower agronomic traits, and the test results were significant.In photosynthetic characteristics, the chlorophyll contents in the leaves of the tested materials in Qitai at the initial flowering stage were higher than those of Urumqi, mainly because the temperature in Qitai was lower than that in Urumqi, which was more suitable for the growth of safflower.In Qitai the net photosynthetic rate, leaf stomatal conductance, and photosynthetic water use efficiency of leaves at the initial flowering stage were significantly higher than those in Urumqi, while the leaf transpiration rate was significantly lower.The material between different types of white flower net photosynthetic rate significantly was higher than that of the red flower, stomatal conductance of white flower material was 0.013-0.033, red flower material was 0.114-0.196, and leaf stomatal conductance of red flower was 5-8 times that white flower.Photosynthetic water use efficiency of 20B040, 20B050, 20B051 in Qitai were 50.64, 58.34, 67.67, and belonged to the white flower type, but the red flower type was lower in the two pilots, among which the Urumqi pilot was 0.67-2.37, and the Qitai was 2.03-4.71.Principal component analysis and cluster analysis found that the test materials could be divided into 4 categories, among which the third category was 20B050, 20H006, 20B007, 20H046, 20B040, 2 red flowers and 3 white flowers, this type of material had good comprehensive properties and ecological adaptability.The fourth category was 20H009, 20B051, 20B025, 20B001, 20B008, and 20B062, including 1 red flower and 5 white flowers.These materials had the highest scores for photosynthetic characteristics and better comprehensive properties.【Conclusion】 The safflower resource for both oil and medicine in Xinjiang is suitable for planting at an altitude of 600-1,600 m.The growth period is about 130 d, the plant height is 77.33-116.67 cm, and the leaves are darker at the initial flowering stage.Among the tested materials, red flower 20H009, white flower 20B051, 20B025, 20B001, 20B008, 20B062 have the highest photosynthetic characteristics factor scores and greatest comprehensive traits, which can be used as excellent breeding materials.