Hardly any other plant has undeservedly received so many unflattering names as the periwinkle flower. "Violet witch", "coffin-grass", "eyes of the devil", "burial ground", as soon as they did not call it in antiquity. A similar attitude to this beautiful plant was instilled by the Celts, attributing to it magical powers and a connection with the other world. Perhaps this was due to the fact that they preferred to plant it on the 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, gained a reputation of a completely different kind. For example, the ancient Greeks called it the "violet of love", wove it into the wreaths of the bride and groom, believing that the longevity of the flower would keep their love for many years.
In our time, the periwinkle flower is a common garden plant that many flower growers love for its unpretentiousness and beauty.
Flower Description
This plant is not uncommon both in the southern regions of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, and in the more northernregions and countries. Most often, in flowerbeds in parks or alpine slides in personal plots, you can find a creeping type of flower. The description of the periwinkle comes down to only two species, although there are several varieties of this plant, including hybrid ones:
- Vinca major is a large periwinkle whose stems can reach a meter in height, although specimens 25-60 cm high are more common. It has glossy leaves up to 8 cm long, flowers are large, often sky-blue. It prefers warmth, therefore it is common in the southern regions, it tolerates both the scorching steppe sun and partial shade.
- Vinca minor is a creeping semi-shrub that rarely reaches 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 rest of the periwinkle flower species are hybrids, but in general there are only 12 varieties of this beautiful and unpretentious plant in nature, which is extremely small on a global scale.
Varieties of periwinkle
Although there are not so many varieties of this plant, all of them are always loved by landscape designers, and some of them also have healing properties:
- V. pubescens - this is the name of the periwinkle flower (photo below) pubescent in Latin. Its feature 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 if grown in a summer cottage.
- Vínca herbacea - translated as herbaceous periwinkle. The flower grows in Southern and Central Europe, Asia Minor and Central Asia, occurring both in the steppe and meadow zones, and on the edges of the forest and even in the mountains. This is a perennial herbaceous plant, the creeping stems of which take root on the soil with their top. Its five-petalled flowers are distinguished by a rich purple (or with an admixture of blue) color. Caring for the herbaceous periwinkle flower as such is not required, only in a snowless cold winter it is recommended to cover it with spruce branches.
- Vinca rosea is a pink periwinkle that has a long flowering period: from the establishment of heat in spring and until autumn. This rather large plant, reaching a height of up to 60 cm, is distinguished by glossy green leaves with a white border and large pink flowers.
These are varieties of periwinkle that grow in the open field, both in the wild and in home gardens or flower beds in city parks.
"Savage" in a flowerpot
So this plant would grow in the wild, if not for amateurs - 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 white flowers.
- Gold Vine is hard to miss as its leaves have a yellow vein on the leaves bordered by delicate greens.
- Morning Glory - a bright beauty with purple-blue flowers.
- Reticulata also stands out for its glossy green foliage with golden veins shining through.
- Variegata (Elegantissima) - has leaves with a delicate creamy-white border in the middle and small spots.
Care and planting of a periwinkle flower in open ground and at home are different. Consider what should be done to make this plant a flower bed or garden decoration.
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.
Usually, a periwinkle flower (the photo shows this) is used to “decorate” unsightly places in a summer cottage or as a dividing strip between a backyard path and a flower bed or garden, and also make a background out of it on an alpine hill, as the choice of location for this plant is not a priority. It feels good both under the rays of the sun and in partial shade, but it will be worse to bloom in a heavily shaded place.
That is why many landscape designers consider it a lifesaver, because where undernot a single "noble" plant will take root with scorching rays, planting periwinkle flowers guarantees a landscape that pleases the eye.
Sowing seeds
The best time to plant 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.
Important to know: if you want to plant a 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 it is worth digging and adding compost to the prepared area, then loosen and make shallow furrows (1-2 cm). The sown seeds are sprinkled with earth and watered abundantly.
Care immediately after sowing seeds is also not burdensome. We must not forget to water the plants and slightly loosen the soil, but this is provided that the season turned out to be dry. If it rains at least periodically, then this stage of caring for the periwinkle flower (the photo above shows it already in all its glory of flowering) can be omitted.
Flower reproduction
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:
- 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 metersquare;
- sprinkle each segment with earth and water abundantly.
It should be remembered that this is a place to get 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 easiest and fastest way to propagate is rooting cuttings, for which the stems should be taken away from each other and sprinkle the shoots on them with earth. This type of breeding is suitable when the area of \u200b\u200bthe site allows.
The division of the bush with the preservation of an earthy coma with roots on each part of it is carried out either in early spring or late summer.
Plant care
Periwinkle is famous for its long flowering, even when cut and placed in a vase, it does not wither up to 20 or more days with a minimum amount of water in it. For this to be so, care is required after planting the periwinkle flower. The photo below shows him in a flowerpot, which is easier to look after than an entire flower bed. 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 it is suitable: organic matter (given twice a season), mineral fertilizers (dilute in water and water the plants 1-2 times a month).
- To prevent the periwinkle from "occupying" the entire area, immediately after flowering it needs to be cut, which will additionally form lush bushes.
- Irrigation 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.
For this minimal care, beautiful flowers and many flower growers love this plant, allocating it a worthy place on their plot or windowsill.
Pests and diseases
Like other plants on the planet, the periwinkle has a "set" of diseases and pests, although there are few of them, that can significantly reduce its age.
The first ones who strive to eat its leaves are aphids and scale insects. Fungal diseases do not fail to make themselves felt if the plant is in a humid environment (for example, with abundant watering).
Powdery mildew will pass by itself if the lesion is minor, and leave the area with flowers for a while without watering, aphids and scale insects do not like soapy water. It is enough to dilute it and spray the plants as they leave it. If the fungal disease has spread to a large number of flowers, then you will have to treat the entire area with fungicides (suitable, for example, "Karbofos" or "Topaz").
At home, you can wipe each flower with soapy water, the glossy periwinkle leaves will shine even more from this.
It is important to know: if the plot at the dacha is large, and there is no time to process it, then it is worth planting a 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.
"Coexistence" with other plants
Since the periwinkle grows so fast, is it possible to plant other flowers next to it?This question is of interest to many beginner gardeners. Indeed, not everyone gets along with him, but they will be happy to be next to him:
- 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 being an ornament.
Some designers use periwinkle flowers as a kind of vegetative "spread" over which taller flowers or less whimsical ferns rise.
Periwinkle in folk medicine
Periwinkle has been used as a medicine 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 cells of the body, preventing them from dividing improperly, 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 drugs for malignant tumors, until they learned how to synthesize it. But many homeopaths advise preparing decoctions and tinctures from periwinkle and taking it as a prophylactic, since no synthetic substance can ever compare in its properties with what is bestowed by nature.
What you need to know about periwinkle
Caring for this plant, you should remember that itpoisonous. That is why he does not have so many "enemies". If you use it for medicinal purposes, then you should definitely consult a doctor and adhere to the recommended dosage.
