A lot of people know what these wonderful flowers look like. Small and large periwinkles are grown almost everywhere. This plant has many popular names, but some of the most famous are: hornbeam, greenback, burial ground. Its Latin name is Vinca minor, which can be translated as “curly” or “weaving”. Do not forget that these are far from harmless flowers. Periwinkle is a poisonous plant, so you need to handle it carefully.
Its healing properties have been used by people since the Middle Ages. And until now, these flowers are widely used in scientific and folk medicine.
Periwinkle is used to prepare various preparations. With its help, such diseases as blood cancer, brain diseases, lymphogranulomatosis are treated. As medicinal and technical raw materials use all the terrestrial parts of the plant (flowers, leaves, stems). In folk medicine, periwinkle is used to treat hypertension, arrhythmias, migraines, rashes, diabetes, colitis, tuberculosis, pulmonary enphysema, various bleeding, and some gynecological diseases. When taking drugs from this plant, an overdose is possible, which is manifested by inhibition of cardiac activity.
The periwinkle flower, the photo of which cannot convey all its beauty, is an evergreen herb. In nature, it grows in deciduous forests, among shrubs, along roads. It belongs to the Kutrov family. Often this plant forms continuous thickets. Where do these wonderful flowers grow? Periwinkle is widespread in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the Caucasus.
How to grow these groundcover flowers on your site? Periwinkle is cultivated in two types: small and large. These plants are famous for unusual flowers of blue, purple, white and pink color. Most often there are specimens of bluish shades. The flowering period of this plant begins in the spring and can continue until the very end of summer. It forms a lot of creeping thin stems on which are located ellipsoid leathery shiny leaves of dark green color. Bred by breeders, new varieties of this plant may have cream or golden spots. Periwinkle flowers are located in the axils of the leaves and consist of 5 petals. They practically do not smell.
How do these flowers multiply? A periwinkle can take root from all the nodes of the stem, so it easily spreads in all directions. It grows rapidly, forming very decorative "pillows" on the flower beds.
Most often, a small periwinkle is used in landscaping, the care of which consists in planting and watering. This plant grows remarkably in partial shade and in the darkest corners of the garden. The height of its stems does not exceed 50 cm. Where no evergreen plant can survive, you can plant these flowers. Periwinkle is undemanding to soils, so it can grow almost everywhere.
Another species of this plant has stems up to 1 m in height. The large periwinkle is distinguished by larger flowers and leaves. Both of these species perfectly tolerate small frosts, so they need shelter only in severe cold. In order for the thickets of these plants to be more magnificent, it is necessary to trim them periodically. Periwinkle is easily propagated by layering and cut stems, which take root very quickly.