So many people know what these wonderful flowers look like. Periwinkle small and large are grown almost everywhere. This plant has many folk names, but some of the most famous are: horn grass, brilliant green, 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 and should be handled with care.
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, diseases such as blood cancer, brain diseases, lymphogranulomatosis are treated. All above-ground parts of the plant (flowers, leaves, stems) are used as medicinal and technical raw materials. 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 depression of cardiac activity.
The periwinkle flower, the photo of which cannot convey all its beauty, is an evergreen herbaceous plant. In nature, it grows in deciduous forests, among shrubs, along roads. It belongs to the Kutrovye family. Often this plant forms continuous thickets. Where do these wonderful flowers grow? Periwinkle is widely distributed in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the Caucasus.
How to grow these ground cover flowers on your site? Periwinkle is cultivated in two types: small and large. These plants are famous for their unusual blue, purple, white and pink flowers. Most often there are specimens of bluish shades. The flowering period of this plant begins in spring and can last until the very end of summer. It forms a set of creeping thin stems, on which elliptical leathery shiny leaves of dark green color are located. New varieties of this plant bred by breeders may have cream or golden spots. Periwinkle flowers are located in the axils of the leaves and consist of 5 petals. They hardly smell.
How do these flowers reproduce? Periwinkle can sprout roots from all nodes of the stem, so it spreads easily in all directions. It grows rapidly, forming very decorative cushions in flowerbeds.
Most often in landscaping, periwinkle is used, 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 stemsdoes not exceed 50 cm. Where no evergreen plant can survive, these flowers can be planted. Periwinkle is undemanding to soil, so it can grow almost anywhere.
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 tolerate slight frosts well, so they need shelter only in severe cold. In order for the thickets of these plants to be more magnificent, it is necessary to cut them periodically. Periwinkle is easily propagated by cuttings and cut stems that root very quickly.
