Periwinkle is an evergreen shrub plant native to North America. This representative of the Kutrovy family has spread widely throughout Europe and Asia, having been used in various fields of activity, including pharmaceuticals and decoration.
Periwinkle: description
Periwinkle can be grown as a creeping or herbaceous plant with erect, rough stems. Leaves located opposite each other are represented by leathery rough dark green plates of small size with a pointed tip and whitish edges. From the sinuses in spring, large bright flowers appear.
Single buds have a variety of colors: from pink and purple to snow-white and cream. The corolla is twisted in the shape of a funnel, and an elongated ellipsoidal tube grows on it. The periwinkle is characterized by high elastic peduncles, some of which can last the entire period of active vegetation. The fruit of the plant is represented by two leaflets that open in the middle and give out small brownish seeds.
Periwinkle small, pink and other species, photo
Periwinkle has a large number of diverse species and varieties, each of which has its own characteristics.
| View | Description | Varieties | Features |
| Straight | Numerous shoots reach 20-80 cm in height. The leaves are opposite, ovate, 3-6 cm in length, have a mosaic color with beige edges and strongly protruding veins. Rhizomes are covered with small scales, stiff. Flowers 3-5 cm, blue, pink with a white tint. The fruit is about 5 cm. | Albo Plena, Purpurea, Sterling Silver, Ralph Shugert. | Rhizomes are widely used in pharmaceuticals and traditional medicine. It is found on the stony and gravelly slopes of the Tien Shan. Most often propagated vegetatively, seeds are rarely used. |
| Small | Perennial shrub up to 60 cm long. The leaves have a glossy gloss, rounded, slightly elongated, about 0.5 cm, covered with vegetable wax. Peduncles reach 15-20 cm, one dense bud of blue or bluish color grows on them. | Illumination, Moonlit, Ralph Shugert, Valley Glow, Alba Variegata, Golden, Argenteovariegata, Variegata, Azurea Flore Pleno, Double Purple, Atropurpurea, Gertrude Jekyll. | Shade-loving, natural habitat are forests and rocky slopes. Distributed in Asia Minor and the Mediterranean. Fruits are formed very rarely, propagated by branching of rhizomes. Frost resistant. |
| Pubescent | A compact plant with a well-developed root system and fairly strong thin stems. Leaf plates are smooth, dark green, ellipsoidal, pointed. The flowers are medium, the color is different: there are purple or bluish petals with white. | Bowles, La Grave, Dart's Blue, Sabinka, Marie | It occurs in the forests of the Caucasus between the placer and on the slopes of the mountains. Unpretentious, characterized by good adaptation and rooting. |
| Herbaceous | It occupies vast areas of medium size with a liana-like stem. The leaves are elongated, narrow and rough, the edges are covered with villi, pointed, saturated green. The buds are located on small pedicels, the petals are gracefully curved, most often white. | Alba, Emily Joy, Gertrude Jekyll, Albo Plena, Illumination. | Distributed from the slopes of Greece to the Caucasus Range. In winter, its stems die to the very ground, and in spring they grow again even more than before. Because of its branching, it is often grown as an ampelous species in separate containers. |
| Pink | Upright branching shrub about 60 cm tall. The leaves are dark green, oval, leathery. Flowers grow in large numbers, medium sizes, the color is often pink-red or purple, there are also plain white varieties. | Grape Cooler, Peppermint cooler, First Kiss. | It is found in Madagascar, India and China. It has another name - catharanthus. Used in folk medicine to treat tumors. |
Seed cultivation
This is a rather laborious and complicated process. Although the seeds are quite unpretentious, it is necessary to constantly monitor the air temperature, soil moisture and ventilate the tanks daily.
With proper care, the first young sprouts of periwinkle will not take long to wait. Seeds can be purchased at the store or collected manually from adult plants.
However, they rarely bear fruit in a garden or at home. There are 2 ways of planting seeds: seedlings and open ground.
Planting seedlings of periwinkle in the open ground
Sowing seedlings is carried out in late February or mid-March.
- Before planting, you need to hold the seeds in a solution of potassium permanganate to get rid of pathogenic bacteria and fungi.
- To make drainage holes in the tank, add soil mixed with peat tablets.
- The distance between the shallow rows is 3-5 cm.
- Sowing is done with a pinch.
- Sprinkle the seeds on top of the substrate, compact and moisten it.
- Place the containers with periwinkle in black dense bags and put them in a warm place for 5-7 days.
- Maintain air temperature not lower than + 23 ... +25 ° C. Regularly moisten the soil.
- Sprouts will appear in 1 week, then the seedlings must be removed from the packages and put in a well-lit place.
- It is desirable to reduce the temperature to + 17 ... +20 ° C.
Young periwinkle needs special care:
- Water regularly, but not often. Make sure that the soil does not dry out.
- 3 weeks after the first seedlings, you need to fertilize with nitrogen-containing or phosphorus fertilizers.
- Before planting in open ground, feed the periwinkle once every 2 weeks.
- After the appearance of 4-5 healthy leaves on the sprouts, you need to dive: in one container 2-4 roots.
Planting periwinkle seeds in open ground
Seeds are sown on the site in spring or autumn. This must be done before the onset of frost so that the seedlings do not die or with the arrival of stable warm weather.
- Thoroughly prepare the soil: loosen and weed the soil from weeds, fertilize with sand, ash, sawdust or peat.
- Make rows at a distance of 5 cm each.
- Disinfect the seeds by holding them in a manganese solution.
- Put them in the furrows and cover them with a layer of soil.
- Compact the substrate, add a little sawdust or sand on top.
- Water abundantly.
Vegetative propagation
There are 3 methods of periwinkle vegetation: cuttings, layering and separation of the bush. Since the plant rarely gives seeds, this reproduction is actively used by most gardeners.
Cuttings
Cuttings need to be prepared during pruning or they can be cut from the apical shoots.
- For rooting, it is enough to place the branches in a container of water so that it occupies a third of the stem.
- From the bottom, you need to remove all the leaves, otherwise rot will begin.
- Also, for rooting, you can use the soil mixture with the addition of root-forming components.
- It is necessary to regularly change the fluid so that it does not stagnate. For this, it is advisable to use filtered, not running water.
- After about 2 weeks, young roots will appear.
- When the root system grows by 2-3 cm, the shoots need to be transplanted into the soil.
Layering
Layers quickly take root and almost all survive.
- You need to carefully examine the creeping shoots of the periwinkle and find the places where they form the roots.
- Using a disinfected knife, separate the cuttings from an adult plant by treating the cut sites with charcoal crumbs or cinnamon.
- If the root system of the shoot is well developed and has no manifestation of diseases or infections, it can be placed in a new individual place.
- Thoroughly water and feed the new seedling with mineral fertilizer so that it adapts faster and begins to grow.
Splitting the bush
In this way, periwinkle can be propagated in any season, with the exception of winter or early spring. It is necessary to carry out the division before the formation of the first peduncles, so that the plant has time to take root in a new environment.
- Carefully remove the bush from the soil without damaging the root system.
- Remove any remaining soil from the roots.
- Cut off rotten, diseased or shriveled roots.
- It is necessary to divide the main bush in such a way that each part retains the basis of the adult plant.
- In order for adaptation to be faster, the delenki need to be planted in the substrate that the maternal vinca had.
- Place the branches in the planting pits, compact the soil and carefully water.
Periwinkle: outdoor care
In order for the periwinkle to actively grow on the site and delight with its beautiful flowers, he needs to ensure proper care.
| Factor | Condition |
| Location / Lighting | Photophilous, grows well both in shaded places and in well-lit spaces. It is better to place on the southern side of the site on small hillocks. It can spread along the placer or curl along a support, fence or fence. |
| The soil | It must be saturated, drained and enriched with mineral and organic additives. Acidity is neutral or weak. If loamy, it must be mixed with sand, gravel, peat or ash. |
| Watering | It can do without regular watering if there is enough natural rainfall. It is necessary to ensure that the soil does not dry out and in a particularly hot period, water the periwinkle no more than 1 time per week. |
| Fertilizer | Enough 2-3 feeding per season. If the bush fades, turns yellow or becomes infected, the frequency should be increased to 1 time in 2 weeks. Nitrogen, phosphoric or potassium fertilizers are well suited, especially during the period of active vegetation. You can also use organics: compost, needles, sawdust or humus. |
| Pruning | Carry out after flowering. Remove all dried shoots, wilted flowers and sprouts. It is also necessary to cut off excessively long branches and to disinfect the places of cuts with chalk. |
Periwinkle
Vinca cultivation is also possible in a home environment. For this, certain conditions must be observed.
| Factor | Condition |
| Location / Lighting | Well-lit place, protected from direct sunlight. It tolerates drafts and frequent airing, especially in the cold season. Place the pot in the south or southwest window sill. |
| Temperature | He feels comfortable at + 18 ... +25 ° C. It tolerates drought, but humidity must be monitored. |
| The soil | Unpretentious, you can use universal soil for indoor plants, in particular for geraniums. Add peat or sand. Also, drainage should be placed at the bottom: broken brick, eggshell or nutshell, polystyrene. |
| Watering | In the summer, it is enough 1 time in 2-3 days, the moisture should not stagnate, and the substrate will dry out. Drain holes in the pot. In winter, watering should be reduced to 1 time in 4-6 days, so that the bush does not rot. |
| Fertilizer | Conduct every 2 weeks with top dressing for indoor roses or universal supplements. Organics are also suitable: humus or needles. In winter, do not produce, since the shrub is in a state of suspended animation. |
| Pruning | For greater decorativeness and splendor of the periwinkle, its apical shoot must be regularly trimmed as they grow. It is better to carry it out in the spring, and the places of cuts to process with cinnamon or charcoal. |
Features variegated varieties
Representatives of these varieties are treated differently, unlike monochromatic ones. It is necessary to take into account their physiological features:
- To place the shrub in a well-lit place, as sunlight plays a key role in the formation of spotting.
- Variegate representatives are best grown in a cache-pot.
- Frosts and low temperatures are poorly tolerated, so variegated specimens are recommended to be transplanted into separate containers and stored for winter in well-insulated rooms.
Features of growing in Siberia and the Urals
In general, shrub care is not very different, but due to low temperatures, periwinkle is often grown as an annual. The climate in these areas is sharply continental, which greatly complicates the wintering of the plant. After severe frosts and prolonged cold weather, the bush dies and the next year you need to plant seeds or seedlings again.
However, there is an alternative option: carefully cut off in the middle of autumn, then carefully dig out the periwinkle without damaging the root system and transplant it into a separate container with a ready-made nutrient substrate.
In a warm, well-lit room, it is necessary to hold the bush until the arrival of warm weather. In April-May, the shrub can be planted again on the designated area.
Care Mistakes
| Problem | Cause | Remedial measures |
| Leaves turn yellow, dry, fall off. | Too dry air in the room, irregular watering, direct sunlight, violation of the temperature regime. | Increase the humidity and frequency of watering, prevent the substrate from drying out, remove the shriveled parts of the bush, lower the temperature to normal (+ 18 ... +25 ° C). |
| Few buds or their complete absence. | Drafts, unsuitable fertilizers, cold air and sudden temperature changes. | Change the location of the pot, excluding blowing and do not use nitrogen fertilizers during the period of active flowering and the formation of buds. |
| The flowers bloom and fall. | Poor lighting, infrequent watering. | Move the periwinkle, providing access to sunlight, water more often. |
| The edges of the foliage plate dry, turn yellow. | Low humidity. | Spray the shrub more regularly. |
Pests and diseases
| Problem | Cause | Remedial measures |
| High humidity, infection from vectors (aphids) or another plant. Rust. | Agrolekar, Propi +, boric acid solution. |
| Infection from vectors or by air (spores getting on the outside of the plant). Powdery Mildew | Rayek, Gamair, Fitosporin, Vectra. |
| Scaffolds. | Soap solution. Manually remove pests and plaque. Insecticides. |
Periwinkle: healing properties
Many types and varieties of shrubs are used in traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals due to the content of various active components. This is especially characteristic of a small periwinkle, in the juice of which there are about 20 alkoloids, flavonoids, vitamin substances that are part of drugs and decoctions against malignant tumors. Also, plant-based drugs are used in the fight against replenishment of the oral cavity, tonsillitis, diarrhea, uterine bleeding, prostate and infertility.
Mr. Summer resident recommends: periwinkle in the landscape
Shrub is widely used in landscape design. Its creeping shoots mask bare soil and shallow cracks. Periwinkle is placed in rock gardens or rockeries to give the composition more expressiveness. The plant is great for growing near forget-me-nots and primroses. It can also be dropped off on a balcony or porch in a cache-pot.
