Periwinkle: enjoying delicate flowers

The smaller periwinkle is an undemanding evergreen plant that is easy to grow and it is also commonly known as vinca. It comes from West Asia and Europe. Do you want to learn how is it grown, propagated or used? Well, you can find out in the following article.

How can you recognize a periwinkle?>

Periwinkle is a low, evergreen recumbent shrub 10-15 cm high and it has glossy, ovate leaves. It begins to bloom in early spring around April with bright blue flowers and continues to bloom until summer . Sometimes you may see it blooming even in early autumn. It can grow in a shade or partial shade.

Growing periwinkle

Periwinkle is a non-deciduous shrub, and it is usually planted in shaded areas as a replacement for grassy lawns. You can also plant it in a flower box. A great advantage of this plant is its ability to bind and reinforce slopes and thus prevent soil runoff. Periwinkle is a very undemanding plant and virtually needs no care. It handles well any climate and is resistant to pests and diseases. You can find periwinkle in almost any soil that is not too wet or too dry. The best way to propagate this plant is through cuttings, which is usually done during early spring or autumn.

Periwinkle and its use

Periwinkle is used as an ornamental plant together with ornamental lawns and may be purchased in special garden shops, but it is also used as a medicinal herb. Leaves are used to lower blood pressure or as a cough suppressant. It is also used to support treatment of diabetes and nosebleeds. A mixture of crushed leaves and lard was used earlier to treat skin inflammation where it was put underneath bandages. Tops of periwinkle are harvested in June and July and are dried in a shade or using an artificial drying at 45 °C. As with any treatment, a care must be taken to ensure that the recommended dosages are not exceeded as large doses may be poisonous to humans.

Photo: Pixabay