Ever since ancient times, periwinkles have been endowed with magical qualities. It was believed that he can protect against diseases and evil spirits. And partly the way it is, because the healing properties of this plant are undeniable. And it also has an unusual combination of tenderness of flowers with incredible natural durability.

What is periwinkle

Periwinkle is a beautiful, usually sky-blue flower, with which many legends and beautiful fairy tales are associated. It does not look very bright, but probably not a single herbaceous plant can compare with its resistance. It can grow both in the sun and in the shade, and at the same time it feels normal both on moist soils and on dry ones. Periwinkle is used in landscape design as a groundcover, as well as for decorating garden and park areas and flower beds.

Important! All parts of the plant in large doses are very toxic and can cause a strong departure, sometimes even fatal.

Characteristic and appearance

Periwinkle is a flowering evergreen plant whose genus is Latin name Vinca. Periwinkle belongs to the Kutra family. This herbaceous perennial groundcover can grow, occupying vast areas, so when growing it in the garden, you need to control this process.

On the long curly shoots of the periwinkle, oppositely dark green leathery leaves are located, slightly elongated and serrated at the edge. Flowers grow alone. Their color, most often, is blue, blue, purple, less often - pink or white. The sizes of the flowers are also different, depending on the type and variety. As a rule, they are funnel-shaped, have 5 petals, with the exception of the original terry varieties.

This plant is not afraid of either cold or drought. It develops well under the shade of trees and in places with the driest soil. Periwinkle (or vinca) is more suitable for fertile soil with neutral acidity, but it can adapt to any conditions. This tenacious flower can be aggressive and often crowds out other plants from its growing zone, which must be taken into account when planting it on garden plots and flower beds.

Species diversity

There are several types of plant described. And each of them has certain varieties, most of which appeared as a result of random pollination. All of them differ in the length of shoots and peduncles, the size of leaves and flowers, as well as the variety of colorings of the petals and other characteristics. Most often found: large, small, pink, grassy and pubescent species of periwinkle.

Did you know? In Germany, it was believed that vinca wreaths placed on window frames could protect against lightning and evil spirits.

Big

The large periwinkle “came” from the Crimea and the Caucasus and spread almost throughout Europe. Its shoots can be creeping, and erect. Leaves, as a rule, are ovoid, smooth and shiny, up to 9 cm long, but sometimes their shape and size may vary in different varieties.

The periwinkle is large winter-hardy, but better, of course, tolerates mild winters, such as in the Crimea. But in regions with a harsh winter, it is better to cover it with spruce branches so that the leaves do not freeze. And it is necessary to do this when there is no snow.

This species, growing in the wild, has sky-blue flowers, but its cultivated varieties can be multi-colored.. Among them are found pure white, and with yellow streaks. Their size is quite large, about 5 cm. Flowering begins in May and lasts only a month.

Small

This species comes from Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. Its stalks branching and creeping on the ground can reach 60 cm in length. The leaves are elliptical, slightly elongated, about 5 cm, with short petioles. Their color is dark green, they are shiny and smooth on top. In autumn, the foliage does not turn yellow and does not fall, but remains green until next spring. The flowers are blue, funnel-shaped, with five petals. Their diameter, as a rule, reaches 2.5 cm. Flowering of this species lasts about a month - in May-June. After this period, a fetus appears - a five-leafed leaf that contains a small amount of seeds.

Small periwinkle, in principle, tolerates wintering well. But if at this time it is too cold and almost no snow, it is better to cover the plant with spruce branches.

Pubescent

This species is found only in the wild, it cannot be cultivated. It grows in the Caucasus, sometimes it can be found in coastal regions. The pubescent periwinkle is distinguished by the fact that its stems, on which the flowers are located, rise above a green carpet created from leaves and interlaced shoots. And the form itself in this species is very unusual.

Did you know? According to legend, such an incredible vitality was presented by the goddess Flora, having regretted an inconspicuous flower.

Varieties of pubescent vinca can be distinguished from each other due to the variety of shapes and colors. They come with white, purple and blue petals, and in different shades. In some varieties on the stems there is only one bud. This species blooms in the same way as the previous two, no more than a month. But the foliage does not remain with him the next year, but falls off.

Herbaceous

In this species, the flowers are very elegant and have the shape of a “propeller”. They can be blue or white. Their diameter reaches 3 cm. They are located on fairly long peduncles, the height of which is about 15 cm. The leaves of the grassy periwinkle are elongated. They fall in the winter with shoots. And in spring, the plant is reborn and grows even stronger, attaching itself to everything it can. Because of this, periwinkle can create dense thickets, therefore, when using it for landscaping, this feature must be taken into account.

Pink

It is also called Catharanthus pink or Lochner. It was first discovered on the island of Java. Unlike other species, it is a shrub with a height of about 50 cm. Its shoots are very thin, but slightly lignified below. The leaves are bright green, have a well-defined central vein. The flowers are pink, five-petalled, similar to phlox. They are located at the ends of branches, singly. Another distinctive feature of the pink vinca is that it blooms for about 10 months. His seeds are not tied due to the climate.

When and how does a periwinkle bloom

Different varieties of vinca begin to bloom at different times, but, as a rule, their flowering begins in April and lasts until the onset of cold weather. Each individual variety is covered with bright colors no longer than a month. Most often, this period falls on May - June. But there are species that bloom throughout the season. Flowers are attached to long, from 15 to 40 cm in length, peduncles. Sometimes they are several pieces on the stem, and sometimes there are one at a time. In some varieties, the buds rise above the green leafy carpet.

Cultivation and care

Winka grows and multiplies very well. He himself lets out layering, which is very quickly and easily rooted. The plant covers large areas with a green carpet with delicate flowers. It is not difficult to grow a culture thanks to its extraordinary unpretentiousness - it is not afraid of either cold or wind, and can grow even in the shade.

Vinca division and landing

Planting periwinkle in the open ground is best done in late summer or early fall, but can be done in spring. It is advisable to pick up the soil fertile and loose, so the most suitable place would be a near-tree circle of fruit trees. But even if the soil is poor, the periwinkle and on it will be able to grow and develop normally.

Video: landing and dividing periwinkle

The distance between the copies should be at least 20 cm, because they will grow very much in the future. It is desirable that there are no other decorative flowers and herbs nearby, because a periwinkle can drown them. To thin out the thickets, you can divide the bushes and transplant them to a new place. After planting, you need to water the plant so that it is more likely to take root.

Periwinkle Care

This plant does not need to be watered, because it is drought-tolerant enough and natural precipitation is quite enough for it. Only on very hot summer days can the periwinkle be moistened a little. As fertilizer, compost and humus are used for it. And also the very rotten foliage of deciduous varieties of this flower is a very good top dressing.

Despite the fact that vinca is considered a winter-resistant plant, it is advisable to cover it with winter spruce leaves or fallen leaves for the winter.

Useful properties and application

• Due to its rich chemical composition, periwinkle has a number of useful properties:
• dilates blood vessels;
• lowers blood pressure;
• soothing;
• improves cerebral circulation;
• helps with stroke, neurosis and vegetative-vascular dystonia;
• relieves spasms;
• used in the complex treatment of cancerous tumors;
• stops bleeding;
• helps to cope with migraines;
• treats diarrhea and colitis;
• included in the complex of drugs used to treat mental disorders;
• used for pulmonary tuberculosis and emphysema.

Vinca-based drugs are used not only inside, but also externally. This plant heals wounds, purulent ulcers and eczema. And it is often used in cosmetology. After washing with a broth of periwinkle, the skin of the face becomes soft and supple. In official medicine, drugs based on different types of this plant are widely used. “Winka minor”, ​​“Rozewin” and “Vikristin” are produced using medicinal raw materials from pink periwinkle, and “Cavinton” - from small. And also this plant is very often used in folk medicine in the form of decoctions and tinctures.

Children and pregnant women are contraindicated, and patients with cardiac and vascular diseases need to carefully study the instructions, and, of course, do not start treatment without an appointment.

Important! Since the medicinal “herb” Vinca contains alkaloids, it, as well as preparations based on it, should be used with caution and only after consulting a doctor.

Gardeners love the wink for their unpretentious care and endurance. This ornamental plant and all its varieties look very profitable in different compositions. The main thing is not to forget to control the reproduction of periwinkle so that it does not "absorb" neighboring plants.