Periwinkle Latin name. Periwinkle, or love to the grave. Periwinkle after flowering

The Kurtaceae family includes a subshrub with beautiful graceful flowers - the small periwinkle.

It is also called ivy, green grass and even grave grass.

The magical and medicinal properties of plants have gained fame in folk medicine.

Amazing survivability

The name "periwinkle" comes from Ukrainian language and literally means “bright wreath.”

Indeed, the plant blooms with delicate lilac flowers.

Among its advantages are rapid adaptation to any living conditions, unfading foliage and medicinal properties.

The medicinal purpose of periwinkle was known many centuries ago.

He was even given magical power and were worn as a talisman to protect against evil sorcerers.

European girls used the flower for fortune telling and called it the witches' violet. If someone was sentenced to death, then before killing, they threw a periwinkle petal into boiling lard.

The petal lies - the condemned man is not guilty; bounces off the squealing oil - the culprit is burned at the stake.

Alpine people used bouquets hung in front of their homes to protect themselves from lightning.

Ukrainian brides were put lilac wreaths on their heads, and the newlyweds were showered with petals, wishing them happiness and longevity.

In the 18th century, periwinkle's ability to calm and reduce high arterial pressure(about symptoms and treatment of kidney disease folk remedies written in the article).

Preparation secrets

For medicinal purposes, the lesser periwinkle is collected in May-June, when it blooms and bears fruit.

For harvesting, they take not only flowers, but also leaves and stems of the plant. The shoots need to be cut and not uprooted, otherwise the periwinkle will die.

Extraneous shoots and wilted leaves are removed, then the raw materials are dried in the open air. It is best to spread it on gauze placed on the grass.

Drying takes no more than seven days if the weather is good. If it rains, periwinkle is laid out in rooms that are constantly ventilated, or outside under a canopy.

The finished raw material does not smell, but tastes bitter. The herb is placed in a glass container and stored for two years. Periwinkle is a poisonous plant, so you need to be careful with him.

Useful composition

Lesser periwinkle contains a lot of useful acids:

amber,
ursolova,
apple

The plant is rich in vitamin C, carotene, tannins.

Alkaloids, of which there are more than 20 types, stop the growth of malignant tumors.

The action of cardiac glycosides is aimed at.

Pectin removes poison from the body and reduces cholesterol levels.

Areas of application

Periwinkle dilates the blood vessels of the brain and heart, causes uterine contractions, and relieves tension in the intestinal muscles.

Traditional healers use the plant to relieve pain, treat bronchitis, migraines, malaria, and eliminate bad breath.

Periwinkle is used to get rid of male impotence (recipes for treating impotence with nettles have been published) and to relieve cold symptoms. It is also used to treat diabetes mellitus.

External use helps stop bleeding.

Oral inflammation removed by rinsing, and lotions with medicinal herbs are applied to wounds and eczema.

Among the medicinal abilities of periwinkle are the following:

supplies oxygen to the brain;
improves heart function;
tones veins;
relieves spasms of muscle arteries;
fights harmful microbes;
helps with diarrhea (will help);
has a diuretic effect.

The plant is used to treat eye diseases (), especially if there is vasospasm or impaired blood flow in the retina.

Periwinkle copes with:

osteochondrosis,
infantile neuritis of the facial nerve,
restores brain function after injuries and illnesses ().

Among the diseases that the medicinal plant is aimed at treating are:

These and other complex diseases are treated with the use of drugs that contain periwinkle ( Vinkamin, Devinkan and etc.).

Women use the plant to prepare a decoction. With its help, they improve complexion, restore elasticity and velvety to the skin.

There are a lot of traditional medicine recipes using periwinkle.

We present the main and most effective of them.

Stop internal bleeding A decoction helps, for the preparation of which you need:

grass with flowers (30 grams),
boiling water (350 ml).
Boil the periwinkle under a closed lid in a water bath for 10 minutes.
After cooling, pass through cheesecloth.
Take half a glass three times a day.
External wounds are also moistened with this decoction:
ulcers, redness of the skin due to dermatitis.

You will need:

200 ml of water and a tablespoon of chopped leaves.
Boil for 20 minutes, cool, pass through cheesecloth, then add another glass of chilled boiled water.
Take a third of a glass three times a day.

This decoction will help cope with:

constipation,
hypertension,
tuberculosis,
bronchitis,
sexual impotence,
colitis (read about the diet),
relieve toothache,
speed up metabolism,
slow down the development of cancer.

The decoction is also used externally: it is used to wipe the skin in cases of dermatosis. To treat a sore throat, they gargle with it.

For rinsing and fighting gum disease periwinkle is boiled in wine or milk at the rate of:

10 grams of plant per 2 cups of liquid.
Boil for 10 minutes, then leave to brew for another 20 minutes.
After straining, squeeze well, add boiled wine/milk to make 200 ml of decoction.
They also treat asthma.

Purulent wounds on the skin clean and tighten with periwinkle tincture:

1 tbsp. l. herbs are poured into 200 ml of boiling water.
Without removing from the stove, leave for about five minutes, then cool, pass through gauze and apply to the wounds.

Patients with cancer Vinca-based products help slow down the growth of tumors (for cancer). For preparation take:

flowering shoots of periwinkle (50 grams),
insist on vodka (half a liter) for 7 days in a warm place.
Shake the container every day.
After a week, filter the tincture, squeeze out the remainder and drink twice a day, 5-7 drops before meals.
Be sure to drink water.

Coping with leukemia and lymphocytic leukemia The following infusion helps:

If boils have formed on the skin, they are treated with periwinkle tincture with vodka. Prepare like this:

fill a half-liter jar with periwinkle leaves to one quarter,
pour vodka (half a liter),
close the container tightly with a lid,
placed in a place where the sun's rays do not penetrate.
After 9 days, take out the medicine and wash the boils with it 2-3 times a day.

For the treatment of diathesis In children, an ointment prepared from periwinkle leaves is used:

9 leaves are rubbed in the palms and the melted liquid is added butter(tablespoon)
everything is melted again,
cool for a quarter of an hour,
passed through gauze.
The mixture is used to treat areas of redness.

Bring it back to normal high blood pressure You can use a complex of herbs, including periwinkle:

periwinkle and white mistletoe () - a tablespoon each;
valerian officinalis (instructions for using the tincture for children are written) two level tablespoons;
hawthorn (3 spoons).

Everything is finely crumbled, mixed, and poured with boiling water according to the following calculation:

tablespoon of collection + 2 cups boiling water,
infuses for an hour
filtered.
The collection is drunk for about a month, three times a day, 1/3 cup an hour after meals.
After completing the course, in order to maintain the effect, the infusion is taken for another 10 days each month.

Danger during use

Lesser periwinkle is a poisonous plant. It can be used, especially internally, only when prescribed by a doctor and in strictly observed dosages.

Consumption of the plant in excess of the norm can lead to dire consequences. Women expecting a child should absolutely not take periwinkle.

The famous folk healer reveals in this video the secrets of preparing the tincture and using Vinca minor.

It is unlikely that any other plant has undeservedly received so many unflattering names as the periwinkle flower. “Witch’s violet”, “coffin-grass”, “eyes of the devil”, “burial ground”, as they called it in ancient times. The Celts instilled a similar attitude towards this beautiful plant, attributing to it witchcraft powers and a connection with the other world. Perhaps this was due to the fact that they preferred to plant it on graves, so that its green leaves and bright flowers would cover the cemetery ground, somehow decorating such a sad place.

But long before them, the periwinkle flower, the photo and description of which are given in this article, acquired a reputation of a completely different kind. For example, the ancient Greeks called it the “violet of love” and wove it into the wreaths of the bride and groom, believing that the longevity of the flower would preserve their love for many years.

Nowadays, the periwinkle flower is a common garden plant, which many gardeners love for its unpretentiousness and beauty.

Description of the flower

This plant is not uncommon both in the southern regions of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, and in more northern regions and countries. Most often, in flower beds in parks or alpine hills in personal plots, you can find a creeping type of flower. The description of periwinkle comes down to only two species, although there are several varieties of this plant, including hybrids:

Vinca major is a large periwinkle, the stems of which can reach a meter in height, although specimens 25-60 cm in height are more common. It has glossy leaves up to 8 cm long, large flowers, often of a sky blue hue. It prefers warmth, therefore it is common in the southern regions; it tolerates both the scorching steppe sun and partial shade.
Vinca minor - small periwinkle - is a creeping subshrub, rarely reaching a height of 25 cm. It has small bright green leaves 4 cm long and medium-sized flowers. It tolerates frost well, so it does not need additional shelter.

The remaining types of periwinkle flower are hybrids, and in general in nature there are only 12 varieties of this beautiful and unpretentious plant, which is extremely small on a global scale.

Varieties of periwinkle

Although there are not so many varieties of this plant, they all enjoy constant love among landscape designers, and some of them also have healing properties:

V. pubescens - this is the Latin name for the pubescent periwinkle flower (photo below). Its peculiarity is the ability to take root where its creeping shoots touch the ground. Thus, this type of periwinkle quickly covers the entire free area with a green-blue “carpet”. It blooms with small single flowers of a blue hue, has the ability to shed foliage, and, despite the fact that its main place of growth is the Caucasus and equally warm places, it is better to cover bare stems in winter period, if grown on summer cottage.
Vínca herbacea - translated as herbaceous periwinkle. The flower grows in Southern and Central Europe, Asia Minor and Central Asia, found both in the steppe and meadow zones, and on the edges of forests and even in the mountains. This is perennial herbaceous plant, the creeping stems of which take root on the soil at their apex. Its five-petal flowers are distinguished by a rich purple (or mixed with blue) color. Caring for the herbaceous periwinkle flower as such is not required; only in snowless, cold winters it is recommended to cover it with spruce branches.
Vinca rosea is characterized by a long flowering period: from the establishment of warm weather in spring until autumn. This rather large plant, reaching a height of up to 60 cm, stands out for its glossy green leaves with a white border and large pink flowers.

These are varieties of periwinkle that grow in open ground, how in wildlife, and in garden plots or flower beds in city parks.

"Savage" in a flowerpot

This is how this plant would grow in the wild if it weren’t for amateur flower growers and breeders. Indoor periwinkle is a variety of flowers, the varieties of which were bred by crossing its wild “relatives”. Among them:

Alba is the owner of beautiful pure flowers white.
Gold Vine is hard to miss as its leaves have a yellow streak on the leaves edged with delicate greenery.
Morning Glory - a bright beauty with purple blue flowers.
Reticulata also stands out for its foliage, which has golden veins shining against a glossy green background.
Variegata (Elegantissima) - has leaves with a delicate creamy-white border in the middle and small spots.

Care and planting of periwinkle flowers in open ground and at home are different. Let's consider what should be done to make this plant a decoration for a flowerbed or garden.

Place and soil preparation for planting

As a rule, these flowers are unpretentious and not capricious, so even sandy soil, on which little grows, is suitable for them, but still heavy soil can significantly reduce their growth and flowering activity.

Typically, the periwinkle flower (the photo demonstrates this) is used to “decorate” unsightly places in a summer cottage or as a dividing strip between a garden path and a flower bed or garden, and they also make it into a background on an alpine hill, since the choice of place for this plant is not in priority. It feels good both in the sun and in partial shade, but in a heavily shaded place it will bloom worse.

That is why many landscape designers consider it a “lifesaver”, because where under the scorching rays not a single “noble” plant will take root, planting periwinkle flowers guarantees a landscape pleasing to the eye.

Sowing seeds

The best period for planting this plant is spring, although early autumn is also suitable if the climate is mild and there is not even a hint of the first frost.

It is important to know: if you want to plant periwinkle in the summer, you should wait for cloudy weather or rain.

Sowing seeds does not require any additional manipulations if the land has been fertilized before. If not, then you should dig it up and add compost to the prepared area, then loosen it and make shallow furrows (1-2 cm). The sown seeds are sprinkled with soil and watered abundantly.

Care immediately after sowing the seeds is also not burdensome. You must remember to water the plants and lightly loosen the soil, but this is provided that the season is dry. If it rains at least periodically, then this stage of caring for the periwinkle flower (the photo above shows it in all its flowering glory) can be omitted.

Flower propagation

If there are no periwinkle seeds, then this flower can be propagated by dividing the bush, cuttings and layering.

If we are talking about a large or small variety of periwinkle, then cuttings are carried out in July, for which:

you should choose the longest shoots;
cut them into pieces containing 3-4 internodes;
distribute them over the prepared area (that is, dug up, fertilized and loosened) with a frequency of up to 20 pieces per square meter;
sprinkle each piece with soil and water generously.

It should be remembered that this is a place for obtaining rooted seedlings, which after 1.5 months will need to be transplanted to a permanent “place of residence” at a distance of 20-25 cm between the bushes.

The simplest and quick way reproduction is the rooting of layering, for which the stems should be taken away from each other and the shoots on them should be sprinkled with earth. This type of propagation is suitable when the area of the site allows.

Dividing the bush, preserving an earthen ball with roots on each part of it, is carried out either in early spring or at the end of summer.

Plant care

Periwinkle is famous for its long flowering; even when cut and placed in a vase, it does not wither for up to 20 days or more with a minimum amount of water in it. For this to happen, the periwinkle flower requires care after planting. The photo below shows it in a flowerpot, which is easier to look after than a whole flowerbed. What to do if there is a lot of periwinkle and you want it to bloom as long as possible?

First of all, the soil should be fertilized, for which the following are suitable: organic matter (given twice per season), mineral fertilizers (diluted in water and watered the plants 1-2 times a month).
To prevent the periwinkle from “occupying” the entire area, it needs to be trimmed immediately after flowering, which will additionally form lush bushes.
Watering is carried out depending on the amount of precipitation. If the summer is dry, then you will have to water a couple of times a week during the period of flowering and active growth of the periwinkle, the rest of the time - as needed.

It is for this minimal care that many people love the plant, giving it a worthy place on their plot or windowsill.

Pests and diseases

Like other plants on the planet, periwinkle has a “set” of diseases and pests, although few in number, that can significantly shorten its lifespan.

The first ones who strive to feast on its leaves are aphids and scale insects. Fungal diseases will certainly make themselves felt if the plant finds itself in a humid environment (for example, with abundant watering).

Powdery mildew will go away on its own if the damage is minor, and the area with flowers is left without watering for a while; aphids and scale insects do not like soapy water. It is enough to dilute it and spray the plants as they leave it. If fungal disease spread to a large number of flowers, you will have to treat the entire area with fungicides (for example, "Karbofos" or "Topaz" are suitable).

At home, you can wipe each flower with soapy water; this will make the glossy leaves of the periwinkle shine even more.

It is important to know: if the plot of land at your dacha is large and there is no time to cultivate it, then it is worth planting periwinkle on it. The plant will not tolerate a single weed near it, as it fills the soil with such a dense flowering “carpet” that no one can break through it.

"Getting along" with other plants

Since periwinkle grows so quickly, can other flowers be planted next to it? This question interests many novice flower growers. Indeed, not everyone gets along with him, but they will be happy to be in his neighborhood:

lungwort;
hyacinths;
primrose;
forget-me-nots

It is useful to plant periwinkle around trees and shrubs, as it protects them from weeds and pests, while also serving as a decoration.

Some designers use periwinkle flowers as a kind of plant “blanket”, on top of which rise taller flowers or ferns that are less demanding to care for.

Periwinkle in folk medicine

As medicine periwinkle has been used since the time of Dioscorides (a doctor and pharmacologist in the Greek army who lived in 40-90 AD). At first, people believed that the long flowering of the plant could prolong their life, and to some extent they were right.

The alkaloid contained in the plant has a beneficial effect on the body's cells, preventing them from dividing incorrectly, thereby preventing the formation of cancerous tumors. In our time, this alkaloid in the form of an extract from a plant was used to produce medicine for malignant tumors until they learned how to synthesize it. But many homeopaths advise preparing decoctions and tinctures of periwinkle and taking it as a prophylactic, since no synthetic substance can ever compare in its properties with what is given by nature.

What you need to know about periwinkle

When caring for this plant, you should remember that it is poisonous. That is why he does not have many “enemies”. If you use it in medicinal purposes, then you should definitely consult your doctor and adhere to the dosage recommended by him.

Periwinkle is endowed with magical properties, for which it is nicknamed “the witch’s violet” or “the flower of love,” which is associated with increased vitality and the power of life. In ancient times, periwinkle wreaths helped protect homes from evil spirits and lightning strikes. They used the periwinkle to tell fortunes about the betrothed and the imminent marriage.

The evergreen perennial carpets slopes and flower beds. Undemanding to care, it helps in the fight against weeds, completely covering the soil. Popular with landscape designers and novice gardeners.

Origin

Periwinkle is widespread throughout Europe, Asia and North Africa.

Name

Periwinkle (Vínca) belongs to the cucumber family (Apocynaceae)

Description

Periwinkle has a developed stem system, creeping type. The small, oblong leaves are dense, juicy, and have a waxy coating. They are arranged in pairs on the stems.

The main color of the green mass is juicy green. Some varieties of periwinkle have a cream border or slight spotting on the leaves.

During the spring flowering period, five-petaled single inflorescences are light blue and
The green carpet is richly colored with a soft purple color. The flowers, which are a funnel-shaped corolla, appear from the leaf axils. There are periwinkles with white or pink flowers.

The periwinkle fruit is two cylindrical leaflets with elongated seeds.

The plant grows quickly due to the rooting of shoots. The stems completely cover the ground, displacing other plants, including weeds. A dense green carpet helps retain moisture, which is beneficial for the life of neighboring plants. A developed root system keeps the soil from sliding and prevents erosion. Dry stems and leaves replenish the supply of humus on the site.

The listed features make periwinkle attractive for garden cultivation.

Varieties

Wild flower forms include only a few species. But as a result of selection, it was possible to develop more species that surprise with the variety of shades of colors.

Natural types of periwinkle:

The following types of small periwinkle hybrids, shown in the photo of flowers, are popular:

Emily and Alboplena with double, small inflorescences, painted white.
Atropurpurea has bright purple flowers.
Gold Vine has a characteristic yellow color in the middle part of the leaf, complemented by a green border along the edge.
Bowles’ Variety with long-lasting, deep blue flowers.
Morning Glory blooms with bluish-purple flowers.
Argenteo-variegata is distinguished by large leaves, bright green, with white-cream patches scattered over the surface. The flowers are a soft blue hue.
Reticulata is easily recognized by the yellow veins on its leaves.
Pink periwinkle is an evergreen, heat-loving shrub that grows up to 60 cm.

Growing and care

The periwinkle flower is not picky about soil. It will take root on any plant, and after it grows, it will hide unsightly areas. Periwinkle will be especially comfortable on well-drained, loose soil. The plant thrives in the sun and shade of trees.

Once planted, periwinkle will spread quickly and will form a solid, green cover with stars of blue-blue flowers.

Bushes of actively growing flowers are planted at a distance of 30-40 cm from one another to provide free space for filling. The arrangement of sockets in a checkerboard pattern looks beautiful.

Watering is necessary in the spring, when the periwinkle is actively developing and for the first time after planting, so that the plant takes root well. In the future, periwinkle will need enough natural moisture accumulated in the soil, because it is drought-resistant. On hot days, watering once a week is sufficient.

In August, the soil under the periwinkle is pierced with a pitchfork 20 cm deep, which ensures soil drainage and oxygen supply to the roots.

In order to prevent spread throughout the area, periwinkle is trimmed after flowering. Trimming also helps to make the bushes look decorative.

By pinching the tops of the plant, a luxurious, soft carpet is formed. Separated stems can be easily rooted and expanded planting area.

The plant is frost-resistant. However, in extreme cold, experienced gardeners recommend covering young shoots with fallen leaves.

Periwinkle grows well in natural conditions, providing itself with organic matter from dying leaves and shoots. It does not need much additional feeding, but the application of urea (30 g/m2) and humus with peat compost in the spring during the flowering period and at the end of September has a beneficial effect on growth and development. Dry humus is scattered over old plantings where the soil is already depleted.

Pests, diseases

Periwinkle is resistant to diseases and pests. But sometimes there are cases of damage by fungi (for example, or rust), and.

Fungal diseases can be easily recognized by bald spots in a green carpet.

To prevent defeat powdery mildew, waterlogging of the soil should be avoided. After all, periwinkle does not grow in wetlands. Treatment with Bordeaux mixture helps get rid of rust.

To combat harmful insects, use a soap solution or an insecticidal preparation that is sprayed on plants.

Reproduction

To propagate periwinkle, seeds and a vegetative method are used, including cuttings, dividing the bush and rooting layering.

Dividing the bush allows you to quickly and easily obtain seedlings, which is recommended to be done in spring or early autumn. The separated shoot has a high survival rate in a new place and shoots soon appear.

When using cuttings, young shoots are cut and dug in, leaving only a few leaves above the surface of the ground. The planting pattern is the same as for bushes. The seedlings are watered until rooting, which is manifested by the growth of new stems with leaves.

To obtain periwinkle layering, adult, healthy shoots are buried. When the stem takes root, it is cut off from the mother plant and planted in a new area.

Perennial seeds are sown for seedlings with the arrival of spring. The seeds are placed in grooves buried 2 cm in the ground.

Then cover the container with dark film or thick fabric, protecting from light. The comfortable temperature for germination is at least +23°, so it is necessary to keep the seedlings in a room or a heated greenhouse. With the emergence of seedlings after 6-10 days, the film is removed and sufficient lighting is provided so that the stems do not stretch. The temperature is reduced to +20°.

Seedlings are provided with moderate watering. It needs to be fed 1-2 times with nitrogen or phosphorus fertilizers, reducing the dosage by half.

Diving is carried out after the stem has grown at least 9 cm and there are 4-5 leaves.
It is better to plan the breeding procedure for the spring so that the periwinkle has time to get stronger before wintering.

Partners

The green shoots of periwinkle, covering the space between trees and shrubs, as well as flower beds, are in perfect harmony with primrose, lungwort, bulbous flowers, etc. They look impressive towering above the periwinkle carpet.

When growing periwinkle in a flowerbed with other flowers, it is important to monitor the plantings and not allow significant growth when the periwinkle suppresses other representatives of the flora.

Landscape designers use green periwinkle to decorate ridges and create borders, decorate slopes and fill empty space in the garden. Periwinkle looks great in mixborders and on alpine slides, next to flowering plants. Planted anywhere, periwinkle complements and highlights the beauty of neighboring flowers.

Do not forget that periwinkle retains green foliage even in winter. This feature increases its value for decoration when other flowers die off.

Watch also the video

Periwinkle ( Vinca) - a genus of creeping subshrubs or perennial herbs of the Kutrovaceae family ( Apocynaceae). Periwinkle leaves are distinguished by amazing strength and vitality, maintaining a fresh appearance even under the snow - which is why periwinkle, transferred from the forest to gardens and parks, has become a symbol of vitality.

Great periwinkle (Vinca major). © Désirée Maass Content:

"Magic" of periwinkle

It is known that in ancient times periwinkles were widely used in “magic”. The ancient Celts endowed periwinkle with protective properties and called it “witch’s violet.”

In Austria and Germany, periwinkle wreaths were used for fortune telling for marriage; hung above the windows, they protected the house from lightning strikes. Flowers collected between the Dormition and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary had the property of driving away all evil spirits: they were worn on oneself or hung over the front door.

In the Middle Ages, in court, periwinkle was used to check whether the accused had a connection with the devil. Wreaths of small periwinkle (it was called the “violet of the dead”, since wreaths were woven from it for graves), hung above the entrance, helped to detect the witch. The periwinkle owes all these magical properties to its amazing vitality - it lives as long as there is even a drop of water left in the vase (and the other flowers in the bouquet have long since dried up), and if you take it out of the vase and stick it into the ground, it will quickly take root.

Description of periwinkle

About 6 species are known in nature, originating from Europe, Africa, Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. Periwinkles are perennial, creeping, evergreen plants with opposite, leathery, shiny leaves.

The flowers are solitary, located in the axils of the leaves. The corolla is funnel-shaped with a long cylindrical, thin tube. The fruit is a leaflet.

Features of growing periwinkles

All periwinkles are resilient and reliable plants.

Location: in open ground conditions they are not demanding; they tolerate both strong shading and bright sun, although they prefer shady and semi-shaded places.

The soil: the warwink is not picky about soil, but it grows better and blooms longer on fertile, loose, well-drained soils with a neutral reaction, for example, on the trunks of apple, pear, and cherry trees.

Care: periwinkles are very responsive to fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers. It is better to use humus, compost or leaf soil as fertilizer. For better tillering, pinching of old and young shoots is necessary. It is winter-hardy, but young shoots are sometimes damaged by spring frosts. It is advisable to cover the pubescent periwinkle with a small layer of leaves for the winter.

Reproduction: by dividing the bush, cuttings, less often - by seeds. Planting is carried out at the end of August - beginning of September or in the spring; the distance between plants should be 20-30 cm. The cuttings take root quickly, and in early September, well-developed plants are planted in place. Young plantings should be covered with a small layer of leaves for the winter.

Using periwinkle in design

Periwinkles are used as decorative foliage and beautiful flowering plants in rocky gardens, and as ground cover in shady places in parks and squares. Effective in wide borders.

Periwinkles are wonderful ground cover plants. Lesser periwinkle, for example, is capable of forming extremely dense, uniform carpets. Once he has captured a bridgehead suitable for him, he no longer yields it to anyone. Only new conditions, for example, a sharp change in illumination, can “shake” it.

Variegated forms can serve as colorful spots in the foreground of flower beds, stand out alongside beautifully flowering perennials and shrubs, and create background thickets at the foot of taller plants.

Types of periwinkles

Large periwinkle (Vinca major). This large, unpretentious species, rising up to 30 cm in height above the ground, grows in Southern Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa. The evergreen leathery leaves are large, up to 5 cm long. Light blue flowers, reaching a diameter of 3-4 cm, appear in May-June. Tolerates partial shade well.

The plant grows quickly and is capable of covering large areas of the hill. This species is usually planted in separate clumps. Varieties with yellow and whitish leaves have been developed. For the winter, it is better to cover this type of periwinkle with spruce branches.

Periwinkle (Vinca minor). A frost-resistant and unpretentious species, which is usually recommended for novice slide lovers. Its homeland is Europe and Asia Minor. On fairly long shoots there are oblong dark green leathery leaves that do not die off in the winter. Blooms in May and until mid-June. The flowers are blue, single, large, up to 5 cm in diameter. Lesser periwinkle is used as a ground cover plant that can grow quickly and cover large areas.

Old leaves die off slowly, so bald spots do not appear in the continuous cover. With good care, it blooms again in August. It tolerates trampling well. In folk medicine, the leaves containing tannins are used as a diuretic and hemostatic agent. Garden forms with white, pink and purple-red flowers have been developed. The leaves of some varieties may be silver, yellow on the edges, or even variegated.

Periwinkle pubescent (Vinca Puhescense). It grows wild in the coastal forests of the western Caucasus. It takes root well when in contact with the soil. Blooms in May-June. Flowering shoots rise above the carpet formed by stems and leaves. Single blue flowers up to 3-3.5 cm in diameter look beautiful against a green background of foliage.

Flowering is long - 20-30 days. Leaves fall in autumn. For the winter, the plant is covered with a layer of litter, since young shoots are damaged by severe frosts.

Periwinkle herbaceous (Vinca herbacea). The homeland of this species is the Crimea, the Carpathians, the Caucasus and European plain. Every year it forms long, up to a meter or more, creeping shoots with small leathery dark green leaves. It does not form such a dense cover as the small periwinkle.

It blooms with blue flowers in mid-June for 20-25 days. Prefers dry, well-lit places. Does not tolerate excess moisture in the soil. At the end of summer, the tops of the shoots take root.

The history of the discovery of the medicinal properties of periwinkle

The XIV All-Union Congress of Therapists, held in 1956, paid special attention to the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this regard, for last years in a number of research institutions and departments of medical and pharmaceutical institutes, work was carried out in the field of finding new effective means for the treatment of these diseases.

Despite the successes of synthetic chemistry, preparations from plants still serve as the main means for the treatment of heart diseases, and the most important and largest group consists of plants containing cardiac glycosides.

Among the representatives of the Kutrov family of our flora, the periwinkle attracted attention. Back in 1934, A.P. Orekhov and his colleagues isolated the alkaloids vinine and pubescin from the pubescent periwinkle - Vinca pubescens. That same year, vinca extract and the alkaloid vinine were found to greatly lower blood pressure. These alkaloids were also found in Vinca minor, and in 1950 a new alkaloid, vincamine, was isolated from it. These alkaloids are close in structure and action to rauwolfia alkaloids. And even reserpine (rauwolfia alkaloid) was isolated from rose periwinkle.

Ursolic acid and others are found in some periwinkles active substances. In the herbaceous periwinkle - V. herbacea, in addition to alkaloids with hypotensive activity, the presence of rutin was revealed. During treatment hypertension rutin is often prescribed along with antihypertensive drugs, so the natural combination of these substances in the herbaceous periwinkle is of great interest for further study of it as a promising medicinal plant.

Pink periwinkle (Vinca Rosea Linn L.) contains antitumor alkaloids that have a cytostatic effect. Of these, vinblastine, vincristine and vinorelbine are classified as vital and essential medicines.

The use of periwinkle in folk medicine

Periwinkle has been used in medicine for a long time; it was mentioned as a remedy by ancient authors - Pliny the Elder and Dioscorides. In China, pink periwinkle is included in recipes for the treatment of hypertension. In folk medicine of the Caucasus, periwinkle is used as an astringent, hemostatic, wound-healing and blood purifying agent.

In scientific medicine, the alkaloid vincamine is used as an antihypertensive. Lesser periwinkle is often bred in gardens and parks as an ornamental plant, and varieties with golden and silver-variegated leaves, as well as double flowers, have been bred. It is grown mainly in the borders of flower beds. Periwinkle gained great popularity at the end of the 18th century, after Jean-Jacques Rousseau mentioned it in his well-known autobiographical work “Confession”.

The fame of Rousseau's book was very great, everyone read it, and with it the fame of periwinkle grew. Many wanted to admire the Rousseau flower and rushed to botanical gardens, mountains and copses, looking for blue periwinkle with evergreen bright foliage. After Rousseau's death, in his homeland of Geneva, a monument was erected on a picturesque island in the middle of the lake, and his beloved periwinkle was planted at its foot.

The unfading greenness of periwinkle and its exceptional vitality attracted attention back in the Middle Ages. He was credited with miraculous powers and was considered a symbol of eternity and constancy. At a time when superstition reigned, it was believed that it protected from the power of the devil, all evil spirits and from the evil machinations of witches.

A magical plant, a flower of love or a witch's violet - this is all periwinkle. Planting and care in open ground, periwinkle - cultivation and propagation, characteristics of varieties, varieties, combination and use in landscape design– described in the article. Beautiful photos will convey the beauty and attractiveness of periwinkle.

Types and varieties of periwinkle

There are five species belonging to the genus, and three of them are most often grown as ornamental crops: small, large and variable. [!] Popular indoor flower or annual open ground catharanthus (pink periwinkle) does not belong to the periwinkles and is separated into a separate genus catharanthus (lat. Catharanthus). Small periwinkle (lat. Vinca minor). This is a beautifully flowering perennial herbaceous plant, naturally found, as a rule, in deciduous forests, where it settles under the canopy of trees or tall shrubs. Natural habitats: Mediterranean, Great Britain, southern Europe, North Africa.

It is a perennial creeping crop with erect or lodging shoots, the average height of which is 20 cm, individual specimens can reach 40-50 cm. The leaves are dense, leathery, dark green on top and silver-green on the reverse side of the plate, oval in shape. Single flowers, the shape of which are five petals on a long tube, are colored, depending on the variety, in cool shades, from white to bright purple. Their the average size– 2-3 cm in diameter. B. small This is perhaps the most popular garden periwinkle, known in gardening since the 14th century. A large number of forms of the crop have been developed: variegated (f. variegata), white-flowered (f. alba), red-flowered (f. rubra), terry (f. multiplex). etc. Among the varieties of small periwinkle, the following can be noted: “Illumination” - a variegated variety with yellow-golden leaves, decorated with a green border, and bright purple flowers.

"Gertrude Jekyll" (Gertrude Jekyll) - a compact (about 10 cm) variety, characterized by dark green glossy leaves and big amount small snow white flowers. "Ralph Shugert" (Ralph Shugert) - oval dark green leaves with a narrow silver-green stripe along the edge and large purple flowers. "Azurea Flore Pleno" (Azurea Flore Pleno) is a double variety, distinguished by delicate light green foliage and lilac-blue flowers. "Atropurpurea" (Atropurpurea) is a beautiful variety with bright pink-purple flowers. "Burgundy" (Burgundy) - a variety similar to the previous one, with dark burgundy flowers. "Blue Drift" (Azure snowdrift) - delicate violet-blue flowers and light green leaves. "Valley Glow" - bright green glossy leaves and snow-white flowers. B. "Illumination", B. "Gertrude Jekyll", B. "Atropurpurea"

These are just some of the most famous varieties. In fact, a very large number of periwinkles of various colors and sizes have been bred to date. Large periwinkle (lat. Vinca major), like the previous species, is often grown in cultivation. Compared to the small one, it is larger in size: the shoots reach an average of 40 cm, and their maximum length is 90 cm. The dark green leaves are oval-heart-shaped, and the flowers have five petals and a long tubular corolla. The diameter of an individual flower is 3-5 cm, the color of wild specimens is usually soft lavender. A less frost-resistant species, compared to the small one, found naturally in southern Europe and northern Africa. B. large In cultivation, the variegated form (f. variegata) is especially common, on the basis of which many varieties have been selected: “Expoflora” (Expoflora) - glossy bright green leaves with a light border. “Maculata” (Masculata) - the middle of the leaf blade is light, the shade darkens towards the edges. "Reticulata" (Reticulata) - the leaves are similar to the previous variety, the flowers are colored bright lavender, lighter towards the middle. "Wojo's Gem" is a very interesting variety with leaves decorated with contrasting spots. B. "Expoflora", B. "Wojo's Gem" Variable periwinkle (lat. Vinca difformis). This species is rarely found in our country, because does not differ in frost resistance.

The homeland of periwinkle is the Mediterranean coast and North Africa, so it is advisable to grow it only in southern regions with mild winters. Under natural conditions, periwinkle is a fairly large (about 50 cm) plant with creeping shoots, oval bright green leaves and pale lilac flowers reaching 4 cm in diameter. The shape of the petals is asymmetrical, slightly reminiscent of a spiral. The most famous varieties: “Jenny Pym” (Jenny Pym) - unusual color of the petals: deep pink at the edges and white in the center. "Ruby Baker" (Ruby Baker) is a variety similar to the previous one, with large dichromatic flowers. "Alba" (Alba) - snow-white flowers against a background of glossy bright green leaves. "Snowmound" ( snow mountain) is another white-flowered variety.

What's the benefit?

It was not for nothing that Europeans considered periwinkle a symbol of eternal life (and it doesn’t matter that they often planted it in a cemetery). The peculiarity of the flower is that it is almost impossible to destroy. It survives in a vase of already dried flowers as long as there is at least one drop of water there. Winters quietly under the snow, preserving green color leaves and the first to bloom in spring.

The flower gives the same vitality to people, and its secret lies in its composition. In addition to the essential oils, organic and tannic acids and minerals traditional for medicinal herbs, periwinkle contains unique alkaloids. Some of them (antitumor vinblastine, vinorelbine and vincristine) are included in the List of vital and essential drugs.

Why is periwinkle herb so useful? Medicinal properties and its contraindications are still being studied, but much of medicine is official! – has been actively using it for a long time.

Periwinkle flowers are excellent for lowering blood pressure. Soviet doctors spoke about this feature back in 1956 at the XIV All-Union Congress of Therapists.
Treats all kinds of bleeding - nasal, intestinal, uterine.
Strengthens and calms the nerves, recommended for neuroses and psychoses, depression and even schizophrenia.
Helps relieve toothache, removes bad breath, and stops bleeding from the gums.
It also lowers intracranial pressure, helps relieve headaches and cope with migraines.
Reduces blood sugar levels and is used for diabetes.
Increases potency in men and is used in the treatment of impotence.
Treats stomach pain, stops diarrhea, helps with dysentery.
When used externally, a decoction of periwinkle heals rashes, skin ulcers, and eczema.
Washing with violet tincture makes the skin soft and tender and evens out the complexion.
Periwinkle is used in the complex therapy of malignant tumors.

Unlike other poisonous medicinal herbs (the same hemlock and bergenia), periwinkle has very few contraindications. But only if you follow the exact dosage! The instructions prohibit drinking weed only if you have diagnosed heart disease or severe blood pressure surges. And doctors add that during pregnancy and lactation it is also better to remove this herbal medicine out of sight.

Periwinkle: planting and caring for a flower

The soil

Any soil is suitable for the plant, even sandy. However, if the soil is heavy, growth activity will decrease somewhat. The development of periwinkle occurs quite quickly; during the season it can cover up to seven square meters with its branches. Do not lose your vigilance - such thickets can harm your “neighbors”, or even push them out of the garden altogether.

Landing location

Without a doubt, a sunny area of the garden will be the most favorable, but the plant will also feel good in the shade. If you need to disguise unattractive places in your dacha or low buildings, periwinkle will do the job perfectly. It is surprising that even a flower shaded by trees grows beautifully.

Watering

If you want to plant periwinkle in an area where you will only visit on weekends, then this amount of watering will be enough. Besides, regular rains are not canceled. When growing a flower in hot southern regions, you can water the plant a little more often - the periwinkle will be more beautiful and lush. But there is no need to apply fertilizer to prevent the periwinkle carpet from growing oily greens.

Reproduction

The best way is to dig up some of the plants that have grown over the season and transplant them to another place. Or you can do this: bend the branch to the ground and it will soon take root. They grow flowers as seedlings, and seeds are not in short supply.

Bloom

The plant becomes covered with flowers in mid-May. During this period, the plot with periwinkle simply enchants the eye: blue stars in the emerald sky! After flowering, the stems are trimmed and cuttings are taken, if necessary. Freshly cut branches can be placed in a cool place, and they will delight the hostess with beauty and freshness for about two to three weeks.

Pests

Pests usually avoid periwinkle, except that aphids may take a liking to young leaves. But you are guaranteed not to find weeds in the green-blue area. The periwinkle densely covers the soil, and throughout the entire season the bed looks even and clean, as if it had just been cut.

Application in medicine

Periwinkle is often used in modern medicine, and in pharmacology. One of the active elements of the flower is an alkaloid that blocks uncontrolled cell division. Products containing periwinkle are used in the treatment of oncological processes. In addition, nootropic drugs and immunosuppressants are made from the plant.

Periwinkle is a wonderful flower, no matter how you look at it. Its beauty, undemandingness, ability to live on any soil and in different conditions, ability to look harmonious in group plantings with annuals and perennials, originality not only in horizontal arrangement, but also on vertical supports, and in hanging flowerpots - all these qualities ensure the flower’s popularity and demand among landscape designers. Periwinkle will be a wonderful garden decoration if you busy man. After all, it is a completely independent and very beautiful plant that does not require special supervision.

Using periwinkle in design

Periwinkles are used as decorative foliage and beautiful flowering plants in rocky gardens, and as ground cover in shady places in parks and squares. Effective in wide borders.

Periwinkles are excellent ground cover plants. Lesser periwinkle, for example, is capable of forming extremely dense, uniform carpets. Once he has captured a bridgehead suitable for him, he no longer yields it to anyone. Only new conditions, for example, a sharp change in illumination, can “shake” it.

Periwinkle coverings are good for decorating and at the same time strengthening non-steep, bare slopes. Here it can coexist with shrubs without interfering with their growth, and the dense needles will simply “flow around”. Periwinkle can act as an hanging plant, hanging from a retaining wall; it suits the proximity of stones. Variegated forms can serve as colorful spots in the foreground of flower beds, stand out alongside beautifully flowering perennials and shrubs, and create background thickets at the foot of taller plants.