Lesser periwinkle description. Periwinkle - medicinal properties of periwinkle herb, use in folk medicine. Lesser periwinkle Vinca minor, green grass, hornbeam, burial ground
What has folk and traditional medicine come to, and what has not been invented to treat diseases.
Perhaps one of the most effective and easily accessible means for treating ailments is periwinkle.
This is a herbaceous plant that can help a person cope with all his disorders.
But periwinkle, in addition to its extensive medicinal properties, also has a number of contraindications. We will deal with all this in this article.
Chemical composition of periwinkle
Different types of periwinkle contain different chemicals. Vincamine was found in the small periwinkle, and reserpine and vincaleucoblastine were found in the pink one.
But absolutely all types contain indole alkaloids. Also, periwinkle grass contains ascorbic acid, bitterness, carotene, rutin, tannins, and saponins.
Did you know? Periwinkle leaves are surprisingly tenacious and durable, and retain a fresh appearance even when under snow. Periwinkle, which is moved from the forest to the garden or parks, is a symbol of vitality. And a periwinkle planted in a cemetery carries a symbol of good memory and eternal love.
Useful and pharmacological properties of periwinkle
Periwinkle is used in the treatment of the following diseases: arterial hypertension, neurotic state, arrhythmia, vegetative-vascular problems. It also relieves vascular spasms, increases uterine tone and diuresis.
In folk medicine it is used as a special means for cleaning and stopping blood. Tinctures and decoctions should be made and taken if you have: rheumatism, scurvy, diarrhea, fever, toothache, cough for a long time, infertility.
It also easily copes with the treatment of tuberculosis and eliminates brain spasms. Effective in the treatment of neuritis of the facial nerve and polyneuritis.
And if you have problems with your facial skin, then you should simply wash your face with periwinkle decoction.
Important! Traditional medicine is good, but follow your doctor's advice when treating your illnesses. And do not engage in long-term self-medication.
Preparations based on periwinkle in traditional medicine
Periwinkle is also common in traditional medicine. The use of periwinkle always has a beneficial effect on human health if it is used in the correct dosages.
Medicines such as: vincamine, vinkaton, devinkan, vincristine, vinkapan. Let's take a closer look at each of them.
Vincamine
This medicine stimulates metabolism in the central nervous system, dilates blood vessels and improves cerebral circulation.
It should be taken if you have: impaired concentration, memory loss in old age, impaired cerebral circulation, migraines and head spasms. If you are breastfeeding, then taking this substance is contraindicated. 
Winkaton
Another one of the drugs based on periwinkle, which supplies cells with oxygen, increases mental activity, improves coronary and cerebral circulation.
Causes the following side effects: skin rashes, tachycardia, various manifestations of allergic reactions, decreased blood pressure. Contraindicated in people who have had a myocardial infarction or have an arrhythmia.
Devinkan
It regulates vascular tone and affects the reduction of peripheral vascular tone, calms the central nervous system, and has a moderate hypotensive effect. This remedy should be taken if you have: neurogenic tachycardia, hypertension of 1st and 2nd degrees and various autonomic neuroses.
It consists of rosea periwinkle extract.
This medicine belongs to the chemotherapeutic anticancer drugs. At the metaphase stage, vincristine blocks cell division.
If used in high doses, it will suppress DNA and RNA synthesis.
Important! It can only be administered intravenously once a week. It is prohibited to inject vincristine directly into the spinal cord!
Winkapan
This drug is made on the basis of Vinca minor. It is worth taking if you have health problems in the following areas: neurogenic tachycardia, frequent dizziness, arterial hypertension, deterioration of memory and concentration in older people, hearing and vision impairment, female menopause, headaches, undeveloped thinking and intelligence in children and adolescents.
The correct dosage and regular use will help you cope with all these diseases.
How to prepare and store periwinkle herb for medicinal purposes
Periwinkle has such multifaceted medicinal properties and brings so many positive benefits to human health that we need to solve the main problem: how to properly collect it and prepare it for treatment. The main rules for collecting and storing periwinkle:
Traditional medicine recipes for the treatment of various diseases
Periwinkle is considered a universal remedy, since its use for the treatment of almost all human diseases is practiced in both traditional and folk medicine. If you follow all the instructions and take the treatment seriously, you yourself will be able to use it to heal your ailments.
Gargling for a sore throat
If you have a sore throat, then an infusion of periwinkle will quickly relieve you of both them and a disease such as sore throat. You will need 1 tablespoon of Vinca minor leaves and a glass of water. Mix this and boil for 20 minutes.
You give it time to cool and brew, then strain and add cold boiled water so that a whole glass comes out. Gargle 3 times a day.
Did you know?The periwinkle will live as long as there is at least a drop of water left in the vessel in which it is located.
Anemia (anemia)
Periwinkle tincture for anemia consists of periwinkle grass and flowers. We count out 3 pinches of dry periwinkle and fill it with 200 ml of water, mix. You need to drink little by little, up to 6 times a day.
Headache
Vinca tincture has a positive effect on the blood vessels of the brain, relieves spasms and reduces headaches. Take 10 g of herb and infuse it with 90-100 ml of vodka, placing it in a dark place for 3 weeks. Take 10 drops 3 times a day.
If it takes a long time to make the tincture for you, you can quickly make a decoction. Grind one spoon of periwinkle herb and pour 220 ml of water into it, cook over low heat for 15 minutes, cool and squeeze out the sediment. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day.
Improving potency
Vinca tincture is also used to improve male potency. Pour a teaspoon of crushed leaves into 1/4 liter of water. Boil the mixture for 7 minutes. You need to insist it in a dark place for a whole day. Afterwards, the contents should be strained and taken a teaspoon 2 times a day, 20 minutes before. before meals.
Hypertension, migraine
If you have high blood pressure and migraines, then Vinca minor will help you cope with this problem. Pour 2 teaspoons of crushed periwinkle leaves into 2 cups of boiled water. Boil for 10 minutes. After cooling it and straining, take 1/3 cup 3 times a day before meals.
Periwinkle is a cute, pretty, gentle and, at the same time, powerful magical blue flower. With amazing unanimity, peoples of different countries 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 bridesmaids with periwinkle, as a symbol of love, eternity and constancy .
This wonderful flower is mentioned in the works of Pliny, and the Romans generally believed that periwinkle was the favorite of the goddess Flora, who gave it the name “victorious firstwink,” as well as large beautiful flowers and a long flowering period.
Description of the plant
Lesser periwinkle (Latin name Vínca mínor) is an evergreen, perennial, shrubby plant belonging to the family Apocynaceae.
Small periwinkle is a low bush, usually no higher than 35-40 centimeters, while it has a well-branched stem that can be either erect or creeping, capable of taking root.
The roots are thin, horizontally located. Creeping stems reach a length of up to one and a half meters.
In May, delicate blue, dark blue, and less often pale lilac single flowers (up to 3-3.5 cm in diameter), located in the axils of the foliage and having long peduncles (2-3 cm), bloom on erect stems in May.
The calyx of the flower 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 about 10-12 mm, closer to the middle it widens slightly. The stigma is slightly pubescent and thick.
The leaves of the small periwinkle have oppositely arranged 2-3 in a ring, on short petioles (3-5 mm), elliptical oblong shape, dense, leathery, shiny, bright green above and greenish-gray below. The leaf blade is smooth, sharp or blunt, up to 5 centimeters long and 2.5-3 cm wide, collected in whorls of three pieces.
Description of the fruit
The fruit looks like an arched, oblong leaf. The flowering period of the small periwinkle begins in May and continues until autumn.
After flowering, the small periwinkle forms two parts of the ovary (the so-called carpels), diverging in different directions, from which two leaflets with seeds, but without tufts, develop.
Periwinkle fruits begin to ripen in June. The small periwinkle does not shed its leaves in winter, but overwinters green. This plant, in addition to Southern Europe and Asia Minor, has adapted well to the more temperate climate of our country. In natural conditions, periwinkle prefers to grow in river valleys, on forest edges and clearings, where there is a lot of warmth and light, in bush thickets 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 their gardens for treatment.
Medicinal properties of Vinca minor
Lesser periwinkle is widely known and popular as a medicinal drug for the treatment of many diseases.
Moreover, periwinkle has earned respect both in traditional and folk medicine.
Effective treatment with Vinca minor 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, pubisidine, minorin, vincamine, vincaminorpine, aquamycin, isovincamine, isomaidine, vincamine, devincan, vincapane) .
According to their mechanism of biological action at the cellular level, alkaloids are classified as mitotic poisons. Based on many of these substances, our and foreign medical industries produce drugs (for example, Kaviton). An alkaloid such as vinblastine is included in the drug “rosevin”, used in the treatment of lymphogranulomatosis, myeloma, hematosarcoma, and choriocarcinoma.
The drugs "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 cerebral vasospasm, 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, ajmalicin, leurosine, mineral salts, vitamins (C, carotene, rutin) - and more many other biologically active substances.
Preparations based on Vinca minor are a good sedative, hemostatic, hypotensive, vasodilator, astringent, and antimicrobial agent. Lesser periwinkle is included in drugs used in the treatment of hypertension, cerebral circulatory disorders and neurological diseases (polyneuritis, autonomic neurosis, impaired 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 conditions.
Otolaryngologists prescribe drugs with periwinkle in the treatment of complex diseases of the nose, throat or ears that are caused by inflammation or circulatory disorders, various infections and disorders of the central nervous system. This plant is also effective for treating various eye diseases caused by poor circulation.
Preparation of medicinal raw materials
The aerial part of the periwinkle is harvested for medicinal raw materials, and only erect, not creeping, stems. In order not to damage the plant, the workpiece must be done with a knife or pruning shears, cutting off the periwinkle branches as low as possible (leaving 2-3 cm of the stem).
Medicinal raw materials are harvested during the flowering period of the plant. After the first spring-summer cutting, the periwinkle grows back and by autumn 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 the litter and dried in the shade, under a canopy.
You can also dry periwinkle in small bunches, hanging it in the attic or under any canopy. The drying room must be well ventilated. After working with this plant, you must wash your hands, because... The plant is relatively poisonous and requires careful handling.
The shelf life of finished raw materials is no more than two years.
Use in folk medicine
The history of treating various diseases with the help of periwinkle goes back 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 works of the Roman scientist and encyclopedist Pliny.
Periwinkle was used by the 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 lowering blood pressure. They also treated diarrhea, migraines, fever and malaria, as well as nasal, pulmonary and uterine bleeding.
Externally used to treat 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, and increases the elasticity of capillaries, and the effect of treatment is observed within three months after the end of taking the drugs.
Dosage forms
- For asthma, gum and throat diseases, use a decoction of periwinkle herb mixed with wine or milk, as a gargle or orally.
- For various bleedings, drink the decoction twice a day in the form of tea, but chilled. The decoction is prepared as follows: take periwinkle grass (a handful), larkspur roots (2 handfuls), mix everything, pour a liter of boiling water and boil until the volume is halved.
- To treat wounds, fresh herb is kneaded and applied to the damaged area.
- For hypertension, 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.
- When potency decreases, drink an alcoholic decoction of periwinkle herb, which is prepared as follows: pour the herb along with periwinkle flowers (20-25g) with 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. Then take a break for two days and repeat this course 3-4 times.
- For malignant tumors and leukemia. The crushed herb (1 tsp) is poured with a glass of boiling water and left for at least 25 minutes. The finished infusion is drunk 1 table before meals. l. up to 3 times a day.
- For leukemia, make a decoction of periwinkle herb: 50 g. Pour water over the raw materials for an hour, then put on fire and bring to a boil, remove and let sit for another 15-20 minutes. Drink 4 glasses a day.
Contraindications
Vinca-based medications can only be taken as prescribed by a doctor. The plant is poisonous and self-medication can have harmful consequences for the body.
The site provides reference information for informational purposes only. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist. All drugs have contraindications. Consultation with a specialist is required!
Historical reference
Periwinkle (or vinka) looks like an evergreen creeping subshrub or herb, with large flowers. Belongs to the periwinkle family. It grows in beech and oak forests, near roads, often forming continuous thickets. In the Caucasus, Belarus, Ukraine, and Moldova, periwinkle is found everywhere.The leaves are shiny, dense, leathery, light or dark green in color, with a cream or golden border along the edges. They are distinguished by their vitality and amazing strength, retaining their greenery even under the snow. The flower has a five-petal structure, the color is pink, blue, white. The plant spreads quickly as a thicket because it can root into the ground from any node of its stem. Due to this property, the plant is called a word of Latin origin Vinca (from the word vincio, which means “to entwine, to bind”). And the name “periwinkle”, which is familiar to us, was formed from the Ukrainian words barva ( What does "paint" mean?) and wine ( "wreath"). This name means "beautiful wreath".
Vinca is a symbol of inexhaustible vitality. She will live in the vase as long as there are at least a few drops of water left there. And if you take it out of the vase and stick it in the ground, it will quickly take root. In cemeteries, the plant is planted as a symbol of good memory and eternal love.
The plant blooms in early spring. There is a legend that it used to have small, inconspicuous flowers, and no one paid attention to it when the periwinkle blossomed. He complained about his unenviable fate to the goddess Flora, who took pity on him and gave him large, beautiful flowers.
People knew about the healing and other properties of the plant back in the Middle Ages. It was believed that it had certain magical properties and could drive away evil spirits and attract love to a person. That's why people wove wreaths from periwinkle and hung them above the door.
In medieval trials, when “witches” were destroyed, the plant began to be used as an indicator indicating the innocence or guilt of the defendant. Therefore, the plant was also called witches’ violet.
The evergreen periwinkle has long been used in Germany and Austria to weave wreaths - with the help of such wreaths, girls told fortunes about their marriage. It was also believed that if you hang a bunch of dried grass above the windows, this will be the best protection for the house from lightning.
Flowers that were collected in August - September, between two significant religious holidays - the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and the Nativity of the Virgin Mary, had, according to popular opinion, the ability to drive away any evil spirits. Flowers were hung above the door or worn on oneself.
Vinca was considered a plant of eternal love and fidelity. In the Middle Ages, it was ground into powder and eaten with leek leaves. It was believed that this would help bring back past love and renew the feeling of passion.
On the current territory of Ukraine, back in pagan times, it was customary to throw a periwinkle wreath into the water on the holiday of Ivan Kupala. They gave wreaths to their betrothed as a sign of endless love.
Nowadays, the plant has lost its mystical glory and has acquired not only decorative, but also medicinal value. Traditional medicine uses the plant for bleeding, scurvy, leukemia, toothache, and diarrhea.
Medical use
Nowadays, the plant is used in both folk and official medicine. All its beneficial properties have not yet been studied. Pharmacists create drugs from vinca and develop new recipes. These drugs are used for such serious diseases as lymphogranulomatosis and leukemia.One of the varieties of the plant is pink periwinkle. It contains substances that have a cytostatic effect on the body's cells - antitumor alkaloids. These are vincristine, vinorelbine and vinblastine. These substances belong to vital medicines. Pharmacists have learned to artificially synthesize them and create effective immunosuppressants and antitumor drugs based on them.
For medicinal purposes, the above-ground part of the plant is used - stems, flowers, leaves, and the underground - rhizomes. The collection of medicinal raw materials occurs during the flowering period of the vinca - this is the period from May to June. After drying, the plant can be used for two years. Before using vinca-based medications, you should consult a doctor.
Periwinkle is used for the following phenomena and diseases:
- vascular spasm,
- nosebleeds,
Recipes
Alcohol tincture of vinca is recommended for the treatment of leukemia. It is made in the following way: crushed grass ( flowers, leaves, stems) is filled with vodka in the proportion: a third of a half-liter jar of grass, the rest to the top with vodka. The mixture must be infused for 9 days. After this, the alcohol tincture is filtered. Take 7 drops of tincture, after diluting them in 50 ml of drinking water, in the morning and evening.An infusion of water, also used for leukemia, is prepared in the following proportion: 1 teaspoon of crushed periwinkle per 200 ml of boiling water. After the mixture has been infused for 20 minutes, it is ready for use. You need to take one tablespoon of the infusion three times a day.
A decoction of periwinkle for external use for skin itching, rashes, eczema, purulent ulcers, dental diseases, wounds: a tablespoon of medicinal raw material per 200 ml of boiling water, boil for a minute, then leave and strain.
A decoction of the leaves is also useful for the above diseases: a tablespoon of raw material in 1 glass of water, boil for 1 minute, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Take a tablespoon two to three times a day, before meals.
An alcohol decoction used to treat impotence and strengthen male power: a teaspoon of leaves is poured into a glass of vodka or alcohol, the whole thing is boiled for five minutes and infused for a day in a dark place. After 24 hours, the alcoholic infusion is filtered. The resulting product is ready for use. It is recommended to take 10 drops of the decoction in the morning and evening for four days, after which you need to take a break for two days and repeat the course of treatment again. It is not recommended to take an alcohol decoction if you have high blood pressure.
The pharmaceutical industry produces drugs Devinkan, Vinkadrex, Vinkaton, Vinkapan. These drugs are prescribed for headaches of various origins ( with atherosclerosis, increased intracranial pressure, with osteochondrosis, depressive states, with encephalitis, organic brain lesions), with neurogenic tachycardia, with hypertension, with neuritis of the facial nerve and polyneuritis.
Special instructions for the use of vinca preparations: in case of overdose, cardiac activity may be depressed.
Plant species
Genus Vinca There are many species of periwinkles, which are native to Europe, southeast Asia, and northern Africa. The most popular in gardening are:
- Periwinkle. This is a low plant, up to half a meter long, growing widely in width.
- The periwinkle is big. The plant can reach a meter in length and grows up to 2.5 meters in width.
Cultivation
Vinca is completely unpretentious and has good frost resistance. Only a few of its varieties require winter preventive shelter, the rest feel good in the winter season.Any soil is suitable for the plant, except that which is completely dry in the hot summer season. The optimal level of illumination is partial shade.
Periwinkle thickets will look more compact and luxuriant if they are trimmed immediately after mass flowering. The cut stems can be immediately planted in moist soil. The plant takes root very quickly.
But the most effective and convenient way to propagate vinca is through layering. If the cuttings are covered with soil, they also take root very quickly.
Some fungi can attack the plant. This can be seen with the naked eye: parts of the stems darken and die, and unsightly voids appear in the lush periwinkle plantation. The plant may also suffer from aphids. However, vinca is quite resilient.
The speed of spread, unpretentiousness and practicality, easy propagation, pleasant appearance, beautiful blue, purple or pink flowers are the reasons that periwinkle is very popular among landscape designers and gardeners. This plant will decorate any garden or park.
Although vinca blooms more actively in brightly lit areas, it is of great interest as a shade-tolerant plant that can be planted in any difficult area of the garden, with the exception of the driest ones. In addition, you can grow vinca in containers.
Vinca has important decorative functions, in addition to medicinal ones: in literally one year it will completely change and revive a dark and cold wall of the house, cover up an ugly place in the garden, and decorate the utility area. Vinca plantations grow best on slopes and embankments, in bright corners of natural and formal gardens, and in rock gardens. Plants grow freely among bushes and trees.
The best environment for periwinkle is a variety of shade-tolerant and low plants that bloom in spring ( heucheras, hyacinths, forget-me-nots, mountain weeds, primroses), as well as various shrubs and trees. In a light strip, periwinkles look great among ferns, which are shade-loving plants.
Vinca subshrubs are suitable for creating hedges.
Since vine grows very quickly, you need to make sure that it does not begin to overwhelm its more pampered and whimsical neighbors. If you start the process of spreading a plant, it turns into a weed. For all its beneficial properties, periwinkle can be poisonous, and therefore requires caution and attention. This plant has several other lesser known names: hornbeam, hirsute periwinkle, burial ground.
The Kurtaceae family includes a subshrub with beautiful graceful flowers - the small periwinkle.
It is also called ivy, green grass and even grave grass.
The magical and medicinal properties of plants have gained fame in folk medicine.
Amazing survivability
The name “periwinkle” comes from the Ukrainian language and literally means “bright wreath.”
Indeed, the plant blooms with delicate lilac flowers.
Among its advantages are rapid adaptation to any living conditions, unfading foliage and medicinal properties.
The medicinal purpose of periwinkle was known many centuries ago.
It was even endowed with magical powers and worn as a talisman to protect against evil sorcerers.
European girls used the flower for fortune telling and called it the witches' violet. If someone was sentenced to death, then before killing, they threw a periwinkle petal into boiling lard.
The petal lies - the condemned man is not guilty; bounces off the squealing oil - the culprit is burned at the stake.
Alpine people used bouquets hung in front of their homes to protect themselves from lightning.
Ukrainian brides were put lilac wreaths on their heads, and the newlyweds were showered with petals, wishing them happiness and longevity.
In the 18th century, the ability of periwinkle to calm and reduce high blood pressure was discovered (the symptoms and treatment of kidney disease with folk remedies are written in the article).
Preparation secrets
For medicinal purposes, the lesser periwinkle is collected in May-June, when it blooms and bears fruit.
For harvesting, they take not only flowers, but also leaves and stems of the plant. The shoots need to be cut and not uprooted, otherwise the periwinkle will die.
Extraneous shoots and wilted leaves are removed, then the raw materials are dried in the open air. It is best to spread it on gauze placed on the grass.
Drying takes no more than seven days if the weather is good. If it rains, periwinkle is laid out in rooms that are constantly ventilated, or outside under a canopy.
The finished raw material does not smell, but tastes bitter. The herb is placed in a glass container and stored for two years. Periwinkle is a poisonous plant, so you need to be careful with him.
Useful composition
Lesser periwinkle contains a lot of useful acids:
- amber,
- ursolova,
- apple
The plant is rich in vitamin C, carotene, tannins.
Alkaloids, of which there are more than 20 types, stop the growth of malignant tumors.
The action of cardiac glycosides is aimed at.
Pectin removes poison from the body and reduces cholesterol levels.
Areas of application
Periwinkle dilates the blood vessels of the brain and heart, causes uterine contractions, and relieves tension in the intestinal muscles.
Traditional healers use the plant to relieve pain, treat bronchitis, migraines, malaria, and eliminate bad breath.
Periwinkle is used to get rid of male impotence (recipes for treating impotence with nettles have been published) and to relieve cold symptoms. It is also used to treat diabetes mellitus.
External use helps stop bleeding.
Oral inflammation removed by rinsing, and lotions with medicinal herbs are applied to wounds and eczema.
Among the medicinal abilities of periwinkle are the following:
- supplies oxygen to the brain;
- improves heart function;
- tones veins;
- relieves spasms of muscle arteries;
- fights harmful microbes;
- helps with diarrhea (will help);
- has a diuretic effect.
The plant is used to treat eye diseases (), especially if there is vasospasm or impaired blood flow in the retina.
Periwinkle copes with:
- osteochondrosis,
- infantile neuritis of the facial nerve,
- restores brain function after injuries and illnesses ().
Among the diseases that the medicinal plant is aimed at treating are:
These and other complex diseases are treated with the use of drugs that contain periwinkle ( Vinkamin, Devinkan and etc.).
Women use the plant to prepare a decoction. With its help, they improve complexion, restore elasticity and velvety to the skin.
There are a lot of traditional medicine recipes using periwinkle.
We present the main and most effective of them.
Stop internal bleeding A decoction helps, for the preparation of which you need:
- grass with flowers (30 grams),
- boiling water (350 ml).
Boil the periwinkle under a closed lid in a water bath for 10 minutes.
After cooling, pass through cheesecloth.
Take half a glass three times a day.
External wounds are also moistened with this decoction:
ulcers, redness of the skin due to dermatitis.
You will need:
- 200 ml of water and a tablespoon of chopped leaves.
Boil for 20 minutes, cool, pass through cheesecloth, then add another glass of chilled boiled water.
Take a third of a glass three times a day.
This decoction will help cope with:
- constipation,
- hypertension,
- tuberculosis,
- bronchitis,
- sexual impotence,
- colitis (read about the diet),
- relieve toothache,
- speed up metabolism,
- slow down the development of cancer.
The decoction is also used externally: it is used to wipe the skin in cases of dermatosis. To treat a sore throat, they gargle with it.
For rinsing and fighting gum disease periwinkle is boiled in wine or milk at the rate of:
- 10 grams of plant per 2 cups of liquid.
Boil for 10 minutes, then leave to brew for another 20 minutes.
After straining, squeeze well, add boiled wine/milk to make 200 ml of decoction.
They also treat asthma.
Purulent wounds on the skin clean and tighten with periwinkle tincture:
- 1 tbsp. l. herbs are poured into 200 ml of boiling water.
Without removing from the stove, leave for about five minutes, then cool, pass through gauze and apply to the wounds.
Patients with cancer Vinca-based products help slow down the growth of tumors (for cancer). For preparation take:
- flowering shoots of periwinkle (50 grams),
- insist on vodka (half a liter) for 7 days in a warm place.
Shake the container every day.
After a week, filter the tincture, squeeze out the remainder and drink twice a day, 5-7 drops before meals.
Be sure to drink water.
Coping with leukemia and lymphocytic leukemia The following infusion helps:
If boils have formed on the skin, they are treated with periwinkle tincture with vodka. Prepare like this:
- fill a half-liter jar with periwinkle leaves to one quarter,
- pour vodka (half a liter),
- close the container tightly with a lid,
- placed in a place where the sun's rays do not penetrate.
After 9 days, take out the medicine and wash the boils with it 2-3 times a day.
For the treatment of diathesis In children, an ointment prepared from periwinkle leaves is used:
- Rub 9 leaves in your palms and add melted butter (a tablespoon),
- everything is melted again,
- cool for a quarter of an hour,
- passed through gauze.
The mixture is used to treat areas of redness.
Normalize high blood pressure You can use a complex of herbs, including periwinkle:
- periwinkle and white mistletoe () - a tablespoon each;
- valerian officinalis (instructions for using the tincture for children are written) two level tablespoons;
- hawthorn (3 spoons).
Everything is finely crumbled, mixed, and poured with boiling water according to the following calculation:
- tablespoon of collection + 2 cups boiling water,
- infuses for an hour
- filtered.
The collection is drunk for about a month, three times a day, 1/3 cup an hour after meals.
After completing the course, in order to maintain the effect, the infusion is taken for another 10 days each month.
Danger during use
Lesser periwinkle is a poisonous plant. It can be used, especially internally, only when prescribed by a doctor and in strictly observed dosages.
Consumption of the plant in excess of the norm can lead to dire consequences. Women expecting a child should absolutely not take periwinkle.
The famous folk healer reveals in this video the secrets of preparing the tincture and using Vinca minor.
Surprising and attractive with its simple decoration is the periwinkle, which covers entire meadows with a dark green carpet. Another name for the flower is catharanthus. Delicate blue flowers are loved by many. Herbaceous or shrubby evergreens have attracted people's attention for their love of life since ancient times. It spreads with its elastic branches to all directions of the world.
They have glossy leaves, graceful decorative flowers of lilac-blue, white, with various shades of pink, sometimes with a crimson spot on the throat. Its leaves are distinguished by their strength and vitality, maintaining a fresh appearance even under snow cover. In early spring, they peek out from under the snowdrifts with their emerald greenery.
The name in Latin Vinca means to entwine. It can climb high on supporting walls, firmly clinging to the slightest protrusions with its roots.
Description of the periwinkle plant
A plant from the Kutrovaceae family. Creeping subshrub or perennial herb with ground cover flowering shoots. The leaves are opposite, dark green, sometimes with golden-cream spots, leathery, glossy. Large blue, white or pink flowers, blooming in spring, sit alone in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is two cylindrical leaflets with seeds. Flowers attract bees and are considered a good honey plant.
Growing catharanthus or periwinkle is an activity for the lazy!
It grows and develops magnificently, forming lush cushions of emerald, shiny leaves with delicate cornflower blue flowers under the shady crowns of trees. Blooms beautifully and profusely in rich, moist soil. It looks extraordinary in the tree trunks of garden trees, on rocky hills, as a ground cover in a semi-shaded place, as a hanging plant in hanging baskets. Variegated varieties are best kept in sunny places - in the shade their leaves are less expressive.
Periwinkle care
- To improve decorativeness and create a lush flowering carpet, it is suggested to fertilize with organic and mineral fertilizers several times a season.
- Rotted organic matter is mulched before the onset of winter and in early spring before new shoots and leaves begin to grow.
- Mineral fertilizer can be sprinkled in small quantities before or during rain or watering.
- Trim damaged, wilted branches, maintaining decorativeness, stimulating the formation of additional roots.
- Water your periwinkle more often and it will respond with a riot of emerald green foliage.
- It cannot be called aggressive, but sometimes it requires growth restrictions, because growing, it can suppress other plants.
Periwinkle propagation
Cuttings usually propagated by indoor species or those that overwinter in cool rooms.
- Cuttings are taken from young, apical shoots in March.
- Each one must have at least two internodes.
- On the lower one, the leaves are torn off, the node is treated with growth stimulants (kornevin, aloe leaf juice).
- Then they are planted in soil made up of 2 parts of fertilized soil, 1 part of coarse sand, deepening the lower internode into the soil, squeezing it tightly with your fingers.
- The soil with the cuttings is kept moist at a temperature of 24 degrees, providing shelter from bright sunlight.
- When the plants are strong enough, they are transplanted one at a time and the vegetative tops are cut off for better rooting.
- After 2 months they are planted on the site.
Learn more about propagating catharanthus or periwinkle by cuttings in the video:
Propagation by seeds. Sow periwinkle in a seedling bed located in partial shade
- Seeds germinate well in moist, nutritious soil.
- Sowing is carried out in spring and autumn in open ground in rows with a distance of 10 cm between rows, planted to a depth of 2-3 cm.
- You can plant seeds in peat cups or containers, growing seedlings on a windowsill
- They are cared for as for ordinary seedlings - watered and weeded.
- Next autumn the plants will be ready to be planted in the flower garden.
- Pink periwinkle seeds are laid out in 5-8 pieces. in pots in February.
- You can use universal soil for indoor plants or regular turf soil.
- Sowing is done shallowly, up to 1 cm.
- Water, cover with a jar or film, preventing moisture evaporation, creating a microclimate.
- After germination, they begin to ventilate little by little.
- If there are a lot of seedlings, they can be thinned out by removing the smallest ones.
- If you plan to grow the plant indoors, you can install a support.
The video will tell you about growing periwinkle seedlings from seeds:
This task is feasible even for beginners; getting healthy seedling bushes is not at all difficult!
How to plant ready-made periwinkle seedlings in open ground, watch the video:
The plant quickly takes over the space allotted to it and begins to grow, covering the area allotted to it with a thick carpet. The glossy leaves are very decorative even after the flowering season has ended, making periwinkle an excellent ground cover.
Reproduction by layering. They are taken from mature, well-grown plants.
The creeping branches of periwinkle take root on their own, taking root when they touch the ground. Having cut off a branch with pruning shears, digging up the cut part along with the roots, it is transferred to a previously prepared area. The soil should be constantly moist for better rooting. If the roots on the seedling are small, you can cover the plant with a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off - this will help it take root faster. Having noticed new shoots under the cover, it is removed.
Reproduction of periwinkles will not cause many problems even for novice gardeners. They take root well and take root at any time. You just have to keep it moist and success is guaranteed.
Types of periwinkle
Lesser periwinkle Vinca minor, green grass, hornbeam, burial ground
An evergreen subshrub up to 35 cm high with vertical generative stems. It grows in the European part of Russia, the Baltic states, Crimea, Belarus, Ukraine and the Caucasus on the edges of forests and on steppe slopes. It has vertically arranged fruiting and sterile stems. It blooms in May-August with single dark blue flowers located in the axils of the leaves. The fruit is formed very rarely.
Propagates well vegetatively and by seeds. In spring it requires significant pruning to 7 cm from the root and fertilizing with humus or mulching with compost. It grows very quickly and takes up the space allotted to it. Successfully replaces the lawn. It can be grown on vertical walls as a hanging plant. Often found in garden plots.
Varieties of Vinca minor:
- Alboplena – white double flowers,
- Argenteo - large leaves, green with whitish-cream speckles, azure-cornflower inflorescences,
- Atropurpurea - bright purple flowers,
- Emili - simple white flowers.
Vinca major
Its leaves are larger and larger than those of the first, and the five-petalled azure-lilac flowers are larger. It also spreads along the ground, rooting in knots, but not as quickly as its brother. Under favorable conditions it blooms twice per season.
Reaches 25 cm in height. Its leaves are not glossy, but matte. Less common than the small periwinkle in garden plots. The variety Variegata is well known, with elliptical, rigid leaves with a white edge along the edge of the leaf. Sometimes there are specimens with pure white foliage. Prefers places exposed to the sun.
Vinca herbacea
It has low frost resistance - it can disappear in winter and grow back in spring. It is distinguished by smaller elliptical leaves of a rich green hue, which fall off in the winter and are rough. Creeping stems do not take root in internodes. Only the top takes root. The flowers are violet, blue or blue-violet, solitary, axillary.
The seeds are oblong, dark brown, with tubercles without a tuft. Distributed on the coast of Crimea. It is localized in clearings, slopes, and among bushes. Our ancestors placed a woven wreath of herbaceous periwinkle on the site of a newly built house to protect against evil and the well-being and wealth of the family.
Vinca pubescens
Grows under trees in the forests of the western Caucasus. It also loses its leaves in the winter, but is more frost-resistant than the herbaceous one and requires little shelter. The growing shoots, weaving along the ground, take root in places of contact with the ground. The flowers are small blue, rising on branches above the ground, creating the effect of a loose carpet.
Pink periwinkle Vinca rosea, catharanthus, rosea lochnera, perwinkle
Pink periwinkle Vinca rosea catharanthus photo
A delicate species, native to Madagascar, with pink buds, with a pink-purple spot in the center. The stem is bare, cylindrical. Cultivated on the slopes of Adjara. The crimson throat of the flower attracts pollinating insects with a long proboscis. Excellent honey plant.
In our latitudes it is grown exclusively on window sills. Or used as an annual crop. The most suitable time for annual replanting is January-March; large containers are used (maximum diameter 15 cm).
In spring and summer, place the pots in a very sunny place and add liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks when watering. To prolong flowering in autumn and winter, keep the plant as long as possible in a bright place or light it a little. At this time, the temperature is maintained moderate, and watering is necessary only so as not to dry out the soil.
There are two varieties: 'Small shiny eye' with white flowers and a dark pink spot in the center, and 'Small pinkish' - with pink petals 25 cm high. These plants can be taken out to the garden plot, and with the arrival of cold weather, removed to the veranda or loggia . Attracts attention with an abundance of phlox-like flowers against a background of shiny evergreen foliage. By creating suitable conditions for it, you can admire continuous flowering for several years in a row.
Pests and diseases
Periwinkles suffer little from pests. Hard leaves and bitter taste repel many insects. In case of the appearance of a red mite or mealybug, special insecticides are used. Sometimes affected by aphids. To destroy it, use a solution of tar soap.
Sometimes the tips of the leaves dry out. This happens from too dry air. Mist your pet frequently or place the pot on a large tray or planter filled with damp moss or expanded clay. In summer, you can put it on the balcony, avoiding places with scorching sun.
Features of the plant
Different types of periwinkle tolerate harsh winters well. The flower has an amazing love of life - when cut, it will stand in the water until the last drop, and if you then stick this shoot into the ground, it will definitely take root. There is a legend in which he complained about his fate to the goddess Flora, and she gave him large blue-purple flowers and gave him an unusual name - ‘Pervinka’.
This plant is several thousand years old. Naturally, people have used it as a medicinal plant since ancient times. It is recognized by official medicine. The drugs are actively used in the treatment of many diseases. The most valuable is the small periwinkle. Preparations based on it have an astringent, antimicrobial, hemostatic, vasodilator, hypotensive, and sedative effect. Traditional medicine uses it for dermatitis, tumors, and eczema. Pink periwinkle also has medicinal properties. Used in the treatment of polyps, anemia, stomach ulcers.
All types of periwinkle are poisonous. It should be used with extreme caution, after consulting a doctor, and avoiding self-medication.
Periwinkle - an excellent, beautifully flowering ground cover - will quickly disguise an unsightly place on a site, a utility area, or climb and decorate the shady side of a house or gazebo. The British use it to decorate the stone walls of ancient houses. Looks great among ferns and large plants.
Its rapid growth and ability to actively spread, unpretentiousness and shade tolerance, malachite-green glossy foliage and charming azure-blue flowers explain its popularity among gardeners and landscape designers. It is placed in rockeries and on natural slopes and hills, which adds sophistication and uniqueness to the garden plot. Its magnificent year-round foliage shades and enhances the beauty of nearby flowers. And if you take into account its mystical properties, then it will definitely bring happiness, tranquility, prosperity to your home and protect you from troubles.
Periwinkle is considered a ritual flower of folk rituals - it is woven into the bride’s wedding wreath. All types of periwinkle are used in traditional medicine. In an ancient Carpathian legend, the five-petaled periwinkle flower symbolizes a happy married life.
This is a real sacred plant - the flower of love, or the witch's violet. Even in ancient times, it was transferred from the forest to the lawns and flower beds of palaces. Planted in cemeteries, it became a symbol of eternal love and long memory.
Court ladies with gentlemen...
we went specifically to the edges of the forest to admire the blue and white stars that bloomed at dawn and disappeared at 5 pm. There was an opinion that periwinkle is eternal, just like life is eternal. Periwinkle also represents love. It is believed that living close to home brings happiness and prosperity.
Periwinkle, placed under a pillow, once attracted suitors to girls. periwinkle, placed in a baby's cradle, protects the child from damage and the evil eye and calms the baby. In ancient times, it was woven into wreaths, mounted above the windows, they protected houses from lightning strikes and the penetration of witches. It is considered a magical talisman among many peoples.