Periwinkle. Periwinkle - medicinal properties of periwinkle herb, use in folk medicine Vinca leaves

Periwinkle is a cute, pretty, gentle and, at the same time, a powerful magical blue flower. The peoples of different countries with amazing unanimity attribute a variety of magical powers to this flower. So, in the Alps, girls make wreaths from it and hang it over the doors and windows of the house to ward off evil spirits, as well as protect the house from lightning during a thunderstorm, in Ukraine they tried to decorate the head of the bride and her girlfriends with periwinkle as a symbol of love, eternity and constancy .

This wonderful flower is mentioned in the writings of Pliny, and the Romans generally believed that the periwinkle was the favorite of the goddess Flora, who gave him the name "victorious pervink", as well as large beautiful flowers and a long flowering period.

plant description

The small periwinkle (Latin name Vínca mínor) is an evergreen, perennial, shrubby plant belonging to the kutrov family (lat. Apocynaceae).

Periwinkle small - a bush is low, usually not higher than 35-40 centimeters, while it has a well-branched, can be both erect and creeping, capable of rooting stem.

The roots are thin, horizontally located. Creeping stems reach a length of up to one and a half meters.

Delicate blue, dark blue, less often pale lilac single flowers (up to 3-3.5 cm in diameter) bloom on erect stems in May, located in the leaf axils and having long peduncles (2-3 cm).

The calyx is cleavage-leaved, having sharp, triangular-lanceolate, bare lobes up to 4 mm long. The corolla of the flower is funnel-shaped, with five rounded petals, with a cylindrical tube of about 10-12 mm, closer to the middle it expands slightly. The stigma is slightly pubescent, thick.

The leaves of periwinkle small have oppositely arranged 2-3 in a ring, on short petioles (3-5 mm), elliptical oblong, dense, leathery, shiny, bright green above and greenish-gray below. The leaf plate is smooth, sharp or obtuse, up to 5 centimeters long and 2.5-3 cm wide, collected in whorls of three things.

Description of the fruit

The fruit looks like a curved arcuate, oblong leaflet. The flowering period of the small periwinkle begins in May and lasts until autumn.

When flowering, the periwinkle small forms two parts of the ovary (the so-called carpels), diverging in different directions, from which two leaflets with seeds develop, but without tufts.

Periwinkle fruits begin to ripen in June. Periwinkle small for winter does not shed its leaves, but hibernates green. This plant, in addition to southern Europe and Asia Minor, has adapted well to the more temperate climate of our country. Periwinkle under natural conditions prefers to grow in river valleys, on forest edges and clearings, where there is a lot of heat and light, in bushes and on the slopes of ravines.

In addition, the small periwinkle has long been "cultivated", and is widely used by flower growers. The medicinal properties of this plant are well known, so many people grow it in home gardens to treat them.

Medicinal properties of small periwinkle

Periwinkle is widely known and popular as a medicinal preparation for the treatment of many diseases.

Moreover, the periwinkle has earned respect, both in traditional and folk medicine.

Effective treatment with small periwinkle is due to the presence in its chemical composition of a large number of alkaloids (more than 50 of them), which are similar in composition to reserpine (for example, such as pubisidine, minorin, vincamine, vincaminorpine, aquamycin, isovincamine, isomaidine, vincamine, devincan, vinkapan) .

According to their mechanism of biological action at the cell level, alkaloids are classified as mitotic poisons. On the basis of many of these substances, our and foreign medical industry produces drugs (for example, "Kaviton"). Such an alkaloid as vinblastine is part of the drug "rosevin", used in the treatment of Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, hematosarcoma, choriocarcinoma.

Preparations "Devinkan" and "Vinkapan" are used as a vasodilator, hypotensive and sedative.
A good therapeutic effect of the use of these drugs is observed in the treatment of cerebrovascular spasm, hypertension, neurogenic tachycardia and other autonomic neuroses.

Vinca grass also contains various steroids, anthocyanins, tannins, flavonoids, various organic acids, phenolic compounds, sugars and glycosides, bitter substances, saponins, lochnerin, aimalicin, leurosin, mineral salts, vitamins (C, carotene, rutin) - and more many other biologically active substances.

Preparations based on periwinkle small are a good sedative, hemostatic, hypotensive, vasodilator, astringent, and also an antimicrobial agent. Periwinkle is a part of drugs used in the treatment of hypertension, circulatory disorders of the brain and neurological diseases (polyneuritis, autonomic neurosis, frustrated coordination of movements, consequences of meningoencephalitis).

Also, drugs based on periwinkle are widely used to treat osteochondrosis, increased intracranial pressure, ischemia, vascular damage, atherosclerosis, psychosis, schizophrenia and depressive states.

Otolaryngologists prescribe drugs with periwinkle in the treatment of complex diseases of the nose, throat or ears, which are caused by inflammation or circulatory disorders, various infections and disorders in the central nervous system. Also, this plant is effective for the treatment of various eye diseases caused by circulatory disorders.

Procurement of medicinal raw materials

For medicinal raw materials, the aerial part of the periwinkle is harvested, and only upright, not creeping stems. In order not to damage the plant, the preparation must be done with a knife or secateurs, as low as possible (leaving 2-3 cm of the stem) by cutting off the branches of the periwinkle.

Harvesting of medicinal raw materials is carried out during the flowering period of the plant. After the first spring-summer cut, the periwinkle grows back and by the fall you can once again harvest medicinal raw materials. The harvested raw materials are sorted out, removing damaged leaves or flowers, and then laid out in a thin layer on a litter and dried in the shade, under a canopy.

Periwinkle can also be dried in small bunches, hung in the attic or under any canopy. The drying area must be well ventilated. After working with this plant, be sure to wash your hands, because. the plant is relatively poisonous and requires careful handling.

The shelf life of finished raw materials is not more than two years.

Application in traditional medicine

The history of treatment with the help of periwinkle of various diseases is rooted in the depths of centuries. Its healing properties were known in ancient Rome. This plant is mentioned in the works of the ancient Roman military doctor Dioscorides and in the writings of the Roman scientist - encyclopedist Pliny.

Periwinkle was used by ancient druids in their cults and rituals, as well as by Russian herbalists who treated a variety of ailments.

This plant has long been used as a sedative, reducing headaches and dizziness, and reducing blood pressure. They also treated diarrhea, migraine, fever and malaria, as well as nasal, pulmonary and uterine bleeding.

It was used externally for the treatment of toothache and inflammation of the oral cavity (rinsing), in the form of lotions for weeping eczema, as a wound healing agent.

Periwinkle has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart, increases daily diuresis, increases the elasticity of capillaries, and the effect of treatment is observed within three months after the end of the drug intake.

Dosage forms

For asthma, gum and throat diseases, a decoction of periwinkle herb mixed with wine or milk is used as a rinse or inside.
With various bleeding, they drink a decoction twice a day in the form of tea, but chilled. The broth is prepared as follows: they take periwinkle grass (a handful), larkspur roots (2 handfuls), mix everything, pour a liter of boiling water and boil until the volume is halved.
For the treatment of wounds, fresh grass is kneaded and applied to the damaged area.
With hypertension, they drink a decoction prepared according to the recipe: take 1 tbsp. l. periwinkle leaves, pour a glass of water and boil for 20-25 minutes. Then cool, strain and drink ¼ tbsp. up to four times a day.
With a decrease in potency, they drink an alcoholic decoction of periwinkle herb, which is prepared as follows: the herb together with periwinkle flowers (20-25g.) Pour a glass of vodka and bring to a boil. The finished broth is cooled and drunk for 4-5 days, in the mornings and evenings, 8-9 drops each. Then they take a break for two days and repeat this course 3-4 times.
With malignant tumors and leukemia. Chopped grass (1 tsp) is poured with a glass of boiling water and infused for at least 25 minutes. Ready infusion is drunk before meals for 1 table. l. up to 3 times a day.
With leukemia, a decoction of periwinkle grass is made: 50 gr. Pour the raw materials for an hour with water, then put on fire and bring to a boil, remove and let it brew for another 15-20 minutes. Drink 4 glasses a day.

Contraindications

Periwinkle-based preparations can be taken only as directed by a doctor. The plant is poisonous and self-medication can be detrimental to the body.

A magical plant, a love flower or a witch's violet are all periwinkle. Planting and care in the open field, periwinkle - cultivation and reproduction, features of varieties, varieties, combination and use in landscape design - described in the article. Beautiful photos will convey the beauty and appeal of the periwinkle.

Periwinkle is an evergreen perennial that covers flower beds, ridges, and slopes with a bright carpet. Unpretentious in care, this flower is equally loved by experienced landscape designers and beginner gardeners. The leaves of the plant seem to be covered with a wax coating, dense and shiny. The inflorescence of pale purple, pale blue shades consists of five petals.

Even periwinkle foliage is a wonderful flower bed decoration.

By planting a periwinkle in a flower garden, you can forever get rid of the need to fight weeds: quickly growing, the flower completely covers the ground, rooting with shoots and does not give weeds even the slightest opportunity to grow.

In the wild, there are only a few varieties of periwinkle (small, large, herbaceous, pubescent), but breeders have bred many of its varieties with flowers of various shades.

Periwinkle large(or Vinca major) has larger leaves and flowers than the periwinkle, under favorable conditions it can bloom twice a year (in May and September), reaches up to 25 cm in height. The varieties Reticulata and Variegata are especially popular with designers, which are distinguished by the presence of yellow-white streaks on the leaves.
Periwinkle large
herbaceous periwinkle(or Vinca herbacea) has low frost resistance, may disappear for the winter. It differs in the shape of the leaves - they are ovoid, small, leathery, rich green.
herbaceous periwinkle
pubescent periwinkle(Vinca pubescens) also sheds leaves for the winter, but is generally frost-resistant, only in severe cold it needs additional care - shelter. The flowers are small, rising on shoots.
pubescent periwinkle
Periwinkle(or Vinca minor) is a perennial with leathery leaves in the shape of an ellipse. It is frost-resistant to temperatures up to -10 degrees, can be damaged only in severe frosts. It has creeping stems, reaching a length of 100 or more centimeters. Rooting of the plant occurs mainly at the end of summer. Inflorescences are small, blue.
Periwinkle

The following varieties of the lesser periwinkle have been bred:

Alboplena - periwinkle with double small white flowers;
Argenteo-variegata - leaves are large, bright green with whitish-cream patches, inflorescences of a pale blue hue;
Atropurpurea - differs in flowers of a bright purple hue;

Grade Atropurpurea

Emily - just like Alboplena is distinguished by white flowers;
Bowles' Variety - blooms for a long period, deep blue flowers.

Planting a plant

Periwinkle takes root on any soil, it can be planted on the slopes of the site. The perennial will grow quickly and cover the unsightly area with a bright green carpet with blue spots of flowers. The semi-shrub will grow well both in the shade of fruit trees and in the bright sun.

A periwinkle planted in the garden in the shade of trees will look very good.

You should adhere to such a scheme for planting a periwinkle: given that it is a perennial, also actively growing, it is recommended to plant plants at a distance of at least 30-35 cm from each other.

Periwinkle Care

Caring for a periwinkle in the open field is extremely simple - it can be planted on any soil, both in shaded and sunny places. It is necessary to provide watering only in the early stages of plant growth, in the future it is perfectly manageable with the moisture contained in the soil, it is drought-resistant. Even in the hottest summer, it is recommended to water the periwinkle no more than once every 7-10 days.

Periwinkle almost does not need care

Despite the fact that this perennial is quite frost-resistant, landscape design experts recommend covering young shoots with foliage for the winter.

Fertilizer and top dressing

Periwinkle in the open ground does not particularly need top dressing and fertilizer, but at the same time it responds well to the introduction of urea into the soil (about 30-40 g per sq. M), humus and peat compost (twice during the flowering season - in spring and in end of September). In addition, gradually dying off, the leaves and shoots of the periwinkle serve as organic fertilizer for young shoots.

Periwinkle breeding

Periwinkle, like other perennials, can be propagated in several ways:

seeds;
dividing the bush;
cuttings;
taps.

The simplest is planting a periwinkle with dividing the bush. A separated piece of plant quickly takes root in a new place and grows. Experts recommend planting periwinkle in spring or early autumn. It is also possible in the summer, but in this case it is necessary to moisten the soil under the plant and at the new planting site.

Pattern: periwinkle bush

Periwinkle reproduces well and cuttings. It is necessary to cut the young shoots and bury them using the seating pattern as in the case of propagation by bushes, leaving only a couple of leaves on the surface. In the future, the culture will grow and cover the entire area allotted to it with a green carpet.

For getting withdrawal you should dig in the shoot of the plant, and after rooting, separate it from the mother bush and transplant it to a permanent place of growth.

seeds perennials are sown in spring in boxes to a depth of no more than 2 cm. Cover for a week with a dense cloth or a dark film that does not transmit light. Seedlings should be grown from seeds at room conditions or in heated greenhouses, since the comfortable temperature for their germination is above +23 degrees. After the emergence of seedlings, boxes with seedlings are exposed to light, while the temperature can be below +20 degrees. Seedlings dive after the appearance of the first 4 true leaves at a plant height of about 9 cm.

Vinca seeds

Diseases and pests

Periwinkle is a perennial resistant to many diseases. However, it can be affected by aphids, scale insects, and become infected with fungal diseases (for example, powdery mildew). For destruction and scabies, it is recommended to irrigate the plants with soapy water. For the prevention of powdery mildew, proper watering of the shrub should be ensured - it does not tolerate waterlogging, does not grow on waterlogged soils.

Vinca bush affected by a fungal disease

Periwinkle combined with other plants

Growing, the periwinkle completely covers the territory allotted to it with a green carpet. This perennial is ideal in garden landscaping, growing well between trees and shrubs. Grows well in combination with.

periwinkles- traditional ground cover plants, especially for shaded areas. The wild form of small (and possibly many of its varieties) endures even the darkness of a linden forest (park) and spruce forest, although it does not bloom in such conditions, it creates thick uniform carpets. This is one of the few plants that can withstand not just shade, but dry shade, managing to draw moisture from any soil with its short roots. This property makes periwinkles valuable elements of container compositions in the shade.

They are undemanding to the soil, but they grow especially quickly and bloom longer on fertile and loose ones with a neutral reaction. Under such conditions, periwinkles may become aggressive and not only suppress small plants, but also interfere with the growth of large ones. Although over time they will already create a dense and lush cover, to speed up the process, it is worth pinching the ends of the shoots.

periwinkles multiply rapidly themselves, rooting the stems in the landed nodes, are easily cut by cuttings, so that sowing is not practiced even by breeders. And new varieties give rise not to unique seedlings, but to random sports and natural anomalies.

periwinkle magic

It is impossible not to mention the role of the periwinkle in cult rites and its magical meaning, which indicates a long-standing connection of a modest flower with the culture of mankind. The ancient Romans, who used wreaths and garlands of periwinkles (maybe large, maybe small) at funerals, carried the plant across the occupied territories. Perhaps the Romans did not attach any special importance to the periwinkle and chose this plant without too much sentimentality because its long shoots are easily intertwined and keep a neat appearance for a long time. But this custom backfired in different ways among different peoples, underwent changes and often acquired a symbolic meaning.

If in Italy periwinkle is still used to make garlands for children's funerals, then in other European countries already in the Middle Ages, criminals doomed to death, heretics and witches in particular, were going to the place of execution in wreaths from it. And now in France the plant is called "violet of sorcery", in memory of his unwitting connection with those events.

And in the traditions of other nations, it is no longer associated with death, but with love and eternity. According to the ideas of astrological botany, the famous developer of which in the 17th century was the Englishman Nicholas Culpeper, if lovers eat a periwinkle together, they become engaged forever. In Austria and Germany, periwinkle wreaths were used for divination for marriage, and to this day they are used in wedding ceremonies.

A similar attitude to this flower and in Ukraine. During the spring holidays and summer games at Ivan Kupala, periwinkle wreaths adorned young girls. Until now, its leaves are placed on a wedding loaf, flowers are showered on the bride and groom.

One can only be surprised at the peculiarities of the Russian national mentality, obsessed with death, and regret that our attitude towards the periwinkle has remained unchanged since the days of Ancient Rome. Dahl named it "coffin-grass", and among the people is still considered a cemetery plant.

Types and varieties of periwinkle

Despite the fact that in kind more than a dozen types, only three of them are used in our horticulture, but together with varieties, even this is enough to provide a diverse range of ground cover plants.

Periwinkle herbaceous

This is a somewhat forgotten old garden plant. Periwinkle herbaceous (Vinca herbacea) is found in light forests and shrubs on rocky slopes from Greece to the Caucasus and the Middle East. True to its name, it loses its stems every winter, reborn in the spring.

This periwinkle does not climb or crawl, but scatters thin stems with wide-spaced pairs of narrow leaves and graceful propeller-shaped flowers on those around. Gardeners also know its white-flowered variety. ‘Alba’.

Periwinkle herbaceous (Vinca herbacea) "Alba"

Everything would be fine, however, growing every year, it not only makes up for lost time, but also manages to root the top of each shoot, creating new centers of revival. And since the shoot sticks into any free crack, without caring about the design, the chaos in the flower garden turns out to be classic. Perhaps lovers of order will like this view more in quality. ampel plant for containers.

Periwinkle large

It is an evergreen species with decumbent and erect stems. The leaf is ovate and really large, up to 9 cm long. The flower of a classic sky color with wide petals can reach 5 cm in diameter.

Periwinkle large (Vinca major) is native to the Mediterranean, Crimea, Caucasus, but has become widely naturalized in Europe. In nature, there are varieties var. oxyloba- with narrow leaves and flower lobes, and var. hirsuta from the Caucasus and the Black Sea coast of Turkey - with a narrow flower and heavily pubescent young shoots.

Of course he has a variety Alba with wide white flowers, and some more variegated. frequently sold "Variegata" with a white border stably freezes in Moscow, oh "Maculata" with blurry yellow veins and other, less interesting, nothing is known. Better turn to periwinkle small (Vinca minor), which is more difficult to destroy than to plant.

Periwinkle

Homeland - the south of the European part of Russia, the Mediterranean, Asia Minor. Its varieties are not inferior in viability to the wild form. Their list is very long, but, being, as a rule, the result of the creativity of small nurseries, they often have a very limited distribution, and their commercial fate depends on the case.

Varieties of classic color

"Bowles Variety" (Bowles, "La Grave") is a selective clone that, in principle, retains the signs of a wild form, but is more powerful, blooming profusely and large in spring, producing individual flowers until autumn. Popular and became the ancestor of a number of variegated varieties that arose as his sports.

Frequently Mentioned Dart's Blue almost the same, only the flowers are slightly paler. "Marie" spreads low on the ground, typical flowers. "Sabinka"- a reduced copy of the previous one.

Periwinkle (Vinca minor) "Alba"

With white flowers:

Alba- not differing in figure from the wild form, decorated with white flowers with a reddish tube;
"Emily Joy"- a new variety, quite often mentioned, but it is not clear from the descriptions how it differs from other similar ones. It is only said that it forms cushions, and the flowers stand out well against the dark leaves;
"Gertrude Jekyll" ("Miss Jekyll") is a compact, slowly growing form with small leaves and snow-white flowers.

Periwinkle (Vinca minor) "Atropurpurea"

Has dark purple flowers "Atropurpurea" ("Purpurea", Rubra), but it no longer has any differences from the wild form. It was discovered in England in 1920 and received a start in life from the hands of a certain Merion Cran (M. Cran), the author of radio programs on gardening.

Terry

Some confusion exists among terry varieties with plain green leaves. If white terry, which is mentioned very rarely, is called "Albo Plena", then for the variety "Flore Pleno" ("Florepleno", "Multiplex") indicate either purple or blue flowers.

Periwinkle (Vinca minor) "Azurea Flore Pleno"

Perhaps two varieties are hidden under these names: "Double Purple"- the plant is powerful, but the flowers are small, purple (purple) color, and Azurea Flore Pleno- with blue flowers. The latter blooms very stretched, blooming until late autumn, but produces flowers per hour for a teaspoon. It is difficult to see at least several at the same time.

If you want to plant periwinkles in your garden, take a look at our catalog, which combines the offers of large online stores of seeds and planting material. .

Plant periwinkle (lat. Vinca) represents a genus of evergreen and deciduous creeping semi-shrub or perennial herbaceous plants of the Kutrovye family, growing in Asia, North Africa and Europe. From Latin, vinca translates as “to wrap around”, and this characterizes the ability of the periwinkle to creep along the ground and survive in harsh conditions, which is why periwinkle grass has become a symbol of vitality and vitality. According to legend, the periwinkle, which bloomed in early spring along with the violet, to which no one paid attention, complained about its fate to Flora, and she gave him flowers larger and life longer than those of the violet.

Since ancient times, people have endowed this plant with magical powers: there was a belief that periwinkle flowers collected at a certain time drive out evil spirits, so they were hung over the front door. Witches were identified in the same way. The magical properties were attributed to the periwinkle mainly for its amazing vitality, because if even a drop of water remains in the vase, the periwinkle will not wither, and if it is removed from the vase and planted in the ground, it will come to life and take root.

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Planting and caring for periwinkle

Landing: spring, summer, winter.
Bloom: from May for a month.
Lighting: shade, partial shade, bright diffused light, bright sun.
The soil: well-drained, loose and fertile soils of slightly acidic or neutral reaction.
Watering: only in case of prolonged drought.
Pinching: to enhance tillering, both young and old shoots are pinched.
Top dressing: organic matter in the form of compost and humus, although balanced mineral fertilizers can also be used.
Pruning: after completion of flowering.
Reproduction: seeds, cuttings, dividing the bush.
Pests: aphid.
Diseases: powdery mildew and rust.

Read more about growing periwinkle below.

Periwinkle flower - description

Periwinkles are creeping shrubs or herbaceous plants with upright shoots. Shiny leathery leaves of light or dark green color are arranged oppositely on the shoots. Sometimes the leaves are marked with a cream border or spots. Large single flowers, most often blue, although there are also white, pink and pure purple colors, grow from the axils of the leaves. Their corolla is funnel-shaped with a long cylindrical tube.

Periwinkle blooms massively in spring, and then its peduncles rise up, which gives the periwinkle a special appeal. When most of the flowers wither, the periwinkle bloom does not end, as individual flowers can be seen throughout the growing season. The periwinkle fruit is two cylindrical leaflets. In nature, there are about 12 types of periwinkles.

Growing periwinkle from seeds

When to sow periwinkle

Periwinkle is sown both in spring and before winter, when all plants are already in a dormant period. If necessary, planting a periwinkle is possible even in summer, only this should be done on a rainy or at least cloudy day. Periwinkle grows best on well-drained, loose fertile soils of neutral or slightly acid reaction, in shade or partial shade, although periwinkle will feel good in full sun. If the soil in the area is poor, before sowing, add mature compost to it for digging.

How to sow periwinkle

Periwinkle seeds are sown in grooves to a depth of 1 cm, close up and watered after planting.

Periwinkle Care

How to care for a periwinkle in the garden

Planting and caring for a periwinkle in the open field are so simple that they could not be described. Periwinkle is watered only in case of a prolonged drought, while the rest of the time it has enough natural precipitation, even if infrequent. The plant does well with weeds, so remove them only if they annoy you. To enhance tillering, you need to pinch both young and old shoots from time to time.

The periwinkle responds well to timely balanced fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers, although organics in the form of compost, humus and leafy soil are still preferable. After the end of mass flowering, the periwinkle needs to be cut, plant residues can be used as cuttings for rooting.

Periwinkle breeding

Periwinkle reproduces well not only by seeds, but also vegetatively - by cuttings and dividing the bush. Cuttings are planted in open ground in spring or late August - early September at a distance of 20-30 cm from each other. Evergreen species are propagated by fallen stems using the horizontal layering technique - as soon as they are lightly sprinkled with earth, the shoots immediately grow into the soil. The division of the periwinkle bush is carried out in early spring, until its shoots begin to grow.

Pests and diseases of periwinkle

Sometimes periwinkles are affected by powdery mildew or rust - fungal diseases that are fought against by spraying with fungicides. In the case of powdery mildew, these are Skor, Topsin, Quadris, Topaz and the like. And against rust, it is better to treat the periwinkle with Kuproksat, Topaz or Bordeaux liquid.

It harms the periwinkle aphid, which is destroyed by Fufanon or Karbofos.

Periwinkle after flowering

How and when to collect periwinkle seeds

If you already have a periwinkle growing, you will not need its seeds, because this plant reproduces vegetatively much faster, easier and more reliably - the cuttings take root perfectly, and the bushes easily divide. Yes, and professionals recommend vegetative methods of reproduction.

Types and varieties of periwinkle

Large periwinkle (Vinca major)

Originally from the Mediterranean, Crimea and the Caucasus. An excellent perennial ground cover evergreen plant, the stems of which take root along the entire length, forming a curly carpet. The leaves of the large periwinkle are ovate, glabrous, leathery and shiny, bordered by cilia along the edge. The length of the leaves is from 4 to 8 cm. Single flowers up to 5 cm in diameter on peduncles up to 40 cm tall are painted in a special shade of blue - pervanche (as the French call periwinkle). Flowering begins in May and lasts more than a month.

The species is winter-hardy, but in snowless winters, in order to save the leaves, it is better to cover it with spruce branches. There is a variegated form of the species with white and yellow variegated leaves, much less cold-resistant than the plants of the main species, for the winter it requires mandatory shelter.

Periwinkle (Vinca minor)

In nature, it is distributed in the Mediterranean, Asia Minor and in the south of the European part of Russia. It is a perennial creeping shade-tolerant plant that prefers broad-leaved and pine forests with rich soils, although it also grows on rich sandy loams and on gravelly and rocky slopes. The small periwinkle has a branched stem up to 60 cm long; whole, oblong, leathery and shiny, elliptical leaves on long petioles. The leaves are 3 to 5 cm long and remain dark green even in winter. The flowers are funnel-shaped, solitary, blue, up to 2.5 cm in diameter, peduncles up to 20 cm high.

Small periwinkle blooms in May or June, flowering lasts about a month. Five-leafed fruits are rarely formed, therefore, more often, the small periwinkle reproduces vegetatively by rooting shoots and branching rhizomes. Planting a small periwinkle with cuttings is also possible. This species is able to live for several decades. In culture since 1306.

The variety is winter-hardy, but in snowless winters, shelter with spruce branches is desirable. Otherwise, caring for the small periwinkle is as simple as for any other species. Garden forms of small periwinkle:

white-colored;
red;
red terry - with double flowers of a purple hue;
variegated - with golden yellow leaves;
terry with blue flowers;
white-edged with rounded small leaves and an uneven white border around the edge. This variety hardly blooms and is often used to create colorful hillside rugs;
golden-motley with even smaller glossy bright green leaves with numerous longitudinal strokes of bright yellow.

Periwinkle pubescent (Vinca pubescens)

It grows in the coastal forests of the Western Caucasus. Its creeping shoots germinate in places of contact with the ground, as a result of which, by autumn, almost all nodes in the upper and middle parts of the shoots take root. Peduncles rise vertically, which gives the impression of a loose cover. Single, up to 3.5 cm in diameter, the flowers of periwinkle pubescent open in May and bloom for a month. The leaves die off in the winter.

Herbaceous Periwinkle (Vinca herbacea)

In the wild, it grows in Asia Minor, Central Europe, the Caucasus, the Crimea, Ukraine and the south of the European part of Russia. Its vegetative shoots are creeping, shiny elliptical leaves fall off for the winter. Purple or blue single flowers on peduncles up to 15 cm high reach a size of 3 cm, they bloom from late May to late June.

The species is winter-hardy, however, if you have winters without snow, it is advisable to cover the grassy periwinkle for the winter with spruce branches.

Pink Periwinkle (Catharanthus = Vinca rosea = Lochnera rosea)

Or catharanthus , or Madagascar vinca , or pink pervinca , or cayenne jasmine , or lochner - the catharanthus has many names, and although through the efforts of scientists today it has been bred into a separate genus, numbering 8 species, for flower growers it is still a pink periwinkle. It is an evergreen shrub up to 60 cm high with erect stems branched in the upper part with opposite sessile, shiny, entire leaves of dark green color with a white median vein. The length of the leaves is up to 7 cm. Pink, sessile flowers in the axils of the upper leaves bloom in late spring and bloom until autumn. The fruit is a sickle-shaped achene.

The development of this species in culture accelerated sharply in 1976, when American scientists began to study interspecific hybrids of catharanthus. As a result of their work, such popular varieties today were introduced into the culture, such as:

Grape Cooler with lilac-pink flowers with a pink eye;
Perepmint Cooler- with a red eye on white flowers.

Over the past fifteen years, German professionals have joined the breeding work, who have bred such wonderful varieties:

variety series First Kiss- compact bushes up to 40 cm high with flowers of 13 color options;
Mediterranean and appleblossom cascade- varieties for hanging baskets, the length of the shoots of which, with proper care, can reach 1.5 m.

Periwinkle properties

Medicinal properties of periwinkle

Periwinkles are useful plants, they have been used in medicine and pharmacology for a long time, because they contain an alkaloid that prevents cell division. Currently, industrial cultivation of periwinkle in order to obtain this alkaloid is not practiced - it is synthesized artificially and included in the composition of anticancer drugs and immunosuppressants. However, despite the advances in synthetic chemistry, medicinal periwinkle is still in demand for the fight against cardiovascular diseases: periwinkle pubescent contains such cardiac glycosides as vinine and pubescin, which lower blood pressure; pink periwinkle contains reserpine - a valuable alkaloid of the same action; periwinkle herbaceous includes rutin, which is often prescribed for hypertension.

Periwinkle is no exception - it also contains cardiac glycosides. In addition, some types of periwinkle contain ursolic acid and other active substances. In addition to alkaloids, the plant contains tannins, anthocyanins, organic acids, sugars, vitamins, mineral salts, steroids and phenolic compounds.

Periwinkle preparations treat cerebrovascular accident, osteochondrosis, ischemia, atherosclerosis, vascular lesions, psychosis, schizophrenia, depression, autonomic neurosis, polyneuritis, movement coordination disorder, the consequences of meningoencephalitis, as well as complex diseases of the ears, throat, nose - sensorineural hearing loss, ototoxic neuritis , vasomotor rhinitis, decreased sense of smell, post-influenza neuritis of the auditory nerve, atrophic rhino-pharyngolaryngitis.

In folk medicine, periwinkle has been used since the time of Dioscorides and Pliny the Elder, in China, hypertension was treated with catharanthus, and in the Caucasus, local types of periwinkle were used as an astringent, antimicrobial, wound healing, vasodilator, hemostatic and blood purifier. They treated scurvy, colic, halitosis, toothache and headache, fever, sexual weakness, tuberculosis, diabetes, colds, women's ailments, and much more with periwinkle. Externally used for bleeding from the nose, uterus, for lotions for rashes, itching, skin eczema and wounds.

Kutrovye Plants on B Ground Cover

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Periwinkle (burial ground, ivy, chreshchatik, bluin) is a perennial grass or creeping shrub of the kutrovye family. The name of the plant comes from the word "Vínca", which in Latin means "to wrap around". And indeed, grass stalks spread along the ground, intensively growing in width, forming a green carpet.

Periwinkle is common in North Africa, Europe and Asia. It is distinguished by high survivability and the ability to adapt to harsh conditions. Since ancient times, grass has been endowed with magical properties, it was considered a symbol of vitality. There is a belief that periwinkle flowers expel evil spirits from the house. The plant was attached above the front door. This is how witches were identified. It is interesting that on the feast of Ivan Kupala, wreaths are weaved from blueberry and handed over to their betrothed as a symbol of endless love.

Today, the plant has lost its mystical meaning, while gaining fame as an ornamental, medicinal representative of the species. Folk and traditional medicine use periwinkle for toothache, diarrhea, cerebrovascular accidents, neuritis and neurosis, bleeding, scurvy, leukemia.

Botanical description

Sinilnik is a herbaceous plant with erect shoots, shiny leathery leaves of dark and light green color, which retain their shade even under snow. Sometimes they are marked with a cream border. The flowers grow from the axils of the leaves, located oppositely on the shoots, solitary, have a purple, blue, rarely white and pink color. Corolla sympetalous, funnel-shaped with a cylindrical tube. Stamens with thick bent filaments, anthers short, with extended connective to the top. Two nectar glands, ovary with 6-8 ovules. Khreshchatyk blooms in May. The fruits are two leaflets of a cylindrical configuration. Seeds without pappus, with embryo surrounded by endosperm.

Periwinkle grows near roads, in beech, oak forests, forming continuous thickets. It quickly takes root due to the node of its stem. Due to its unpretentiousness to environmental conditions, it is often planted in cemeteries as a sign of eternal love, good memory. A characteristic feature of the flower is the problematic destruction.

Species and varieties

In the wild, there are several varieties of blueberry: herbaceous, pubescent, small and large. At the present time, breeders have bred many new varieties with different shades of colors.

Home Recipes:

With internal bleeding. Cooking method: Boil 30 g of periwinkle herb in 350 ml for 10 minutes, cool, strain. Drink ½ cup 3 times a day. The decoction is also used for washing wounds.
With hypertension, bronchitis, colitis, impotence, esophageal ulcer. Prepare a decoction of the leaves of periwinkle small at the rate of 15 g of dry raw material per 200 ml of water. The principle of creating a drug is the same as in the first case. Drink 70 ml 3 times a day.

For dermatitis, wash the affected areas with a healing drink.

With impotence. The principle of preparation: pour 40% (500 ml) of dry herb of blueberry (100 g), leave for 14 days, shaking occasionally, strain. To increase sexual function, dilute 5 drops of tincture in a tablespoon of water, take in the morning and evening for 4 days. Then take a two-day break, repeat the course. To achieve positive dynamics of treatment, 3 cycles are required.

In addition, periwinkle tincture is used externally for the treatment of boils (2-3 times a day).

With allergic diathesis in children. To prepare the ointment, you will need periwinkle leaves (9 pcs) and butter (15 ml). Mix the ingredients, melt, cool, strain. Apply the ointment to the affected areas of the skin.
With vegetative-vascular dystonia. Ingredients: common bark, roots of valerian officinalis, leaves of small periwinkle and blood-red hawthorn (30 g each), common cumin fruit (15 g), white mistletoe grass (50 g). Mix the collection ingredients thoroughly, steam 15 g of the mixture in 200 ml of water, heat on a steam bath for a quarter of an hour, leave for 45 minutes, bring to the original volume. Take 100 ml three times a day for a month, then switch to a preventive maintenance dose, which involves taking the decoction regularly from the 1st to the 10th day of each month.

Cultivation and care

Khreshchatyk is an unpretentious plant, easy to care for. Does not require special conditions for growth.

periwinkle landing

Sow before winter or spring. If necessary, the seeds can be buried in the ground even in summer on a rainy day. The medicinal herb grows best in loose, fertile, well-drained soils that are neutral to slightly acidic. If the soil is scarce, it is pre-enriched with mature compost. The preferred place for planting a shrub is shade, partial shade.

Seeds are planted 1 cm deep in the soil into grooves. Water after planting.

periwinkle care

It comes down to plucking young and old shoots. These activities are necessary to enhance the tillering of the plant. Water only in case of prolonged drought, and there is enough natural rainfall. Interestingly, the plant gets along well with weeds, so they are removed only if they are annoying.

Organic fertilizers in the form of leafy soil, compost and humus are preferred as top dressing. After mass flowering, the bush is trimmed, and plant residues are used as cuttings for grass propagation. The cut parts are planted in the ground in early September or May at a distance of 25 cm from each other.

Conclusion

Periwinkle is an evergreen shrub with branched stems. The main areas of harvesting plants: Carpathians, Transcarpathia, Belarus, Moldova, the Caucasus. The period of collection of raw materials falls on May-June. Periwinkle has been used in medicine and pharmacology since the time of medicine. The herb contains 60 types of alkaloids that prevent cell division. These biologically active substances are included in the composition of immunosuppressants, anticancer drugs.

The most common types of blueberry are small, large, herbaceous, pubescent and pink. All representatives of the kutrov family have a healing effect on the human body: they lower blood pressure, normalize cerebral circulation, are used to treat diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems, coordination disorders, osteochondrosis, complex pathologies of the nose, throat, ears (atrophic rhinopharyngolaryngitis, vasomotor rhinitis, sensorineural hearing loss). In addition, decoctions and alcoholic tinctures from blueberry are used externally in folk medicine to stop bleeding (uterine, nasal), improve skin condition with dermatitis, wounds, eczema, rashes, itching.

Remember, periwinkle is a poisonous plant, before using the collection or preparations based on it, it is recommended that you first consult with your doctor.