Ground cover liana small periwinkle. Periwinkle flower - planting, care, cultivation. Possible pests and diseases

Periwinkle is a herbaceous groundcover. Many species are evergreen. Used for planting under the crowns of trees (can be planted near apple trees, pears), in shady areas, rocky gardens, curbs, as well as to strengthen the slopes and as an ampel - in containers.

Varieties of periwinkle

1) Periwinkle small - well-branched perennial with creeping stems. It is a medicinal plant. Forms dense thickets. The flowers are blue, white or red. Species with variegated and yellow leaves, double flowers are popular.
2) Periwinkle large - perennial with creeping shoots and large blue flowers. Blooms in May-June.
3) Periwinkle herbaceous - unlike other members of the genus, this plant does not form a uniform cover. Blooms in June. The flowers are pale blue or purple.
4) Periwinkle pubescent

How to grow periwinkle

1. Plot. Both sunny and shady areas with loose, nutritious, drained soil are suitable for growing periwinkle. Desirable soil with a neutral reaction.
2. Planting and reproduction. Periwinkle is usually propagated by cuttings and dividing the bush, seed propagation is also possible. Planting this plant is recommended in spring or early autumn.
3. Periwinkle care consists of:

• regular moderate watering (periwinkle tolerates drought well);
• pinching young plants to stimulate tillering;
• top dressing with humus, compost and mineral fertilizers.

For the winter, only young plants and Periwinkle are covered with pubescence. A thin layer of foliage is suitable for this. In snowless winters, all types of periwinkle are recommended to be covered to prevent freezing.
4. Pests and diseases. Periwinkle is a very resistant plant, both to diseases and pests.

Name:" Vinca " - the ancient Latin name of this plant is preserved, "vinca" means wrap around.
Periwinkle leaves are distinguished by their amazing strength and vitality, retaining a fresh look even under snow - that is why periwinkle transferred from the forest to gardens and parks has become a symbol of vitality, and planted in cemeteries - a symbol of eternal love and good memory.
Like a fragrant violet, it is the first to bloom in spring, but few people pay attention to it. According to legend, he complained about his fate to the goddess Flora, and she gave him larger flowers, and life longer than that of a violet, and gave the name Pervinka (victorious) to the modest messenger of spring. A special magical power has long been attributed to an unfading plant. In Austria and Germany, periwinkle wreaths were used for divination for marriage; hung over the windows, they protected the house from lightning strikes. Flowers collected between the Dormition and the Nativity of the Virgin had the ability to drive away all evil spirits: they were worn on themselves or hung over front door. In the Middle Ages, in court, with the help of a periwinkle, they checked whether the accused had a connection with the devil. Wreaths of small periwinkle (it was called the "violet of the dead", as wreaths were woven from it for graves), hung over the entrance, helped to detect the witch. The periwinkle owes all these magical properties to its amazing vitality- he lives as long as there is at least a drop of water in the vase (and the other flowers of the bouquet have long dried up), and if you take him out of the vase and stick him in the ground, he will quickly take root.

Description: in nature, about 12 species are known, originating from Europe, Africa, Asia Minor and the Mediterranean.
Perennial creeping, evergreen plants with opposite, leathery, shiny leaves.

Flowers solitary, located in leaf axils. The corolla is funnel-shaped with a long, cylindrical, thin tube. The fruit is a leaflet.

Perennial creeping evergreen plant. The stems take root along the entire length, forming dense decorative carpets. The leaves are leathery, ovate, glabrous, shiny, 4-8 cm long, with cilia along the edge. The flowers are solitary, blue, of a special shade - pervanche (from the French name for periwinkle), up to 5 cm in diameter, on peduncles up to 40 cm tall. Blooms from May 30-35 days.

It is winter-hardy, but in snowless winters it is desirable to cover with spruce branches to save the leaves.

Form variegata (f. variegata)- has white and yellow leaves, less stable in culture. In the middle lane, preventive shelter is mandatory.

This form with golden-bordered leaves is less drought-resistant and winter-hardy than Vinca minor.
It is not demanding on the soil, but it grows better and blooms longer on fertile, loose, well-drained soils with a neutral reaction, for example, on tree trunks of apple, pear, and cherry trees.

Very responsive to fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers. As a fertilizer, it is better to use humus, compost or leaf soil. For better tillering, pinching of old and young shoots is necessary. Winter-hardy, but young shoots are sometimes damaged spring frosts. Periwinkle pubescent is desirable for the winter to cover with a small layer of leaf.

Reproduction: dividing the bush, cuttings, less often seeds. Landing is carried out in late August - early September or in spring; the distance between plants should be 20 - 30 cm. The cuttings take root quickly, and in early September, well-developed plants are planted in place. Young plantings for the winter should be covered with a small layer of leaf.

Usage: as decorative leafy and beautiful flowering plants in stony gardens, as ground cover - in shady places of parks and squares. Effective in wide borders.

Kutrovye family

Natural climatic conditions: subtropics. Mediterranean.
The genus combines evergreen shrubs with flowers similar in shape and structure to flowers. periwinkle. In total, 5 species are known, but one is widespread in room culture. There are varieties with white flowers and variegated leaves. (var. alba). In a variety of reticulated (var. reticulata) leaves with golden yellow veins, in a variety of graceful (var. elegantissima) leaves with yellow and white spots.

culture. Periwinkle is winter-hardy, only occasionally damaged by very severe frosts. Forms a dense, permanently decorative ground cover. It is undemanding to the soil, tolerates planting near trees, deep shading and bright sun, lack of watering. During the season, the plant is fed 2-3 times with a complex mineral and organic fertilizer. In the spring, a strong pruning of 6-8 cm from the base is necessary every year. For better tillering, shoots are pinched in July-August.
Periwinkle is propagated by dividing the bush, cuttings, less often by seeds. The cuttings take root quickly, and in early September, well-developed plants are planted in a permanent place at a distance of 20-30 cm. Young plantings for the winter are covered with a small layer of leaves.
Periwinkle is planted as a decorative leafy and flowering plant in rocky gardens, on slopes, as a groundcover - in shady places in the garden. Looks impressive in wide borders and containers, like an ampelous plant.

medicinal use
Raw periwinkle small is a mixture of leafy stems with flowers and without flowers with leaves. The edges of the leaves are smooth, somewhat wrapped down. The color of the leaves is dark green above, shiny, lighter below. Stems are light green. The flowers have a dark blue corolla, parts of the limb at the top are bluntly cut, the calyx is naked. There is no smell.
Periwinkle small was used in folk medicine different countries from ancient times. Dioscorides and Pliny mention this plant as a medicinal plant. The plant gained particular popularity in the 18th century, when it was used for various diseases, but mainly as a sedative and hypotensive agent.
It has now been established that vinca alkaloids are able to reduce pressure. In Hungary, the drug "Devinkan" is obtained from the small periwinkle herb, which is used in the treatment of hypertension, especially stages I and II of the disease, including its cerebral forms, as well as neurogenic tachycardia. In Bulgaria, the antihypertensive drug "Vinkapan" is produced from the amount of vinca alkaloids. A similar Hungarian drug is called Vinkaton.

Dense, shiny, as if waxed, leaves, despite the snow and winter, lining the entire territory that they managed to capture over the summer with a fresh green carpet. Miracle? No, barnacle!

Although in folk beliefs associated with this evergreen ground cover, miracles are indispensable.

Periwinkle is called both the flower of love and the witch's violet, many magical properties are attributed to it, promising unheard-of wealth and the extraordinary power of love.

But even a skeptic who does not believe in magic will not remain indifferent when he sees thick carpets of evergreen leathery foliage strewn with the most delicate cinquefoil inflorescences.

And the pros landscape design, and gardeners who take their first timid steps into the world of flowers appreciate and love this spectacular ground cover plant for its high decorative qualities and amazing unpretentiousness.

The Latin name for periwinkle is Vinka, which means “to wrap around”.

The name is explained by the plant's ability to cover any area and surface, even vertical ones: perennial roots cling to the slightest opportunity to move further, higher.

At the same time, periwinkle, as a perennial groundcover, is not an aggressor, perfectly combined with other ornamental crops.

And if the wine grows next to a retaining wall or other sheer surface, it easily takes on an ampelous shape.

Large periwinkle - Vinca major - the most large-leaved (up to 8 cm) and quite high (about 25 cm). Twice a year, in spring and autumn, it blooms with blue inflorescences.

Designers identify two of the most popular variegated, variegated, Vinca major varieties:

Vinca Variegata (Vinca Variegata) - with light spots along the edge of the leaves
Vinca Maculata - leaves with a light spot in the center and a dense green border
Vinca Reticulata (Vinca Reticulata) - also a variegated form with flowers of juicy lilac shade and a core of a much lighter tone

Periwinkle small - Vinca minor - does not grow up, but in breadth: its stems, spreading in different directions, stretch for a meter or more, forming a dense continuous cover.

Varieties differ in the color of small flowers:

• Alboplena - white terry-shaped inflorescences;
• Bowles' Variety - Thick Blue colour, very long flowering;
• Argenteo-variegata - like a variegated periwinkle, it has juicy green leaves with light spots. The flowers of this variety are blue, of a very delicate tone;
• Atropurpurea - already from the name one should expect purple colors;

Unlike relatives, the pubescent periwinkle - Vinca pubescens - sheds foliage for the winter.

It also differs in that the flowers rise above the carpet of greenery, which is formed from the interweaving of stems, young shoots, and leaves.

Flowers are painted blue.

The evergreen pink periwinkle - Vinkarosea - is already a semi-shrub with high, almost up to half a meter, vertical shoots.

It got its name from the color of the flowers. Blooms from spring to autumn.

Other names for pink periwinkle are also found in the literature: cayenne jasmine and catharanthus.

Varietal diversity is also determined by variations in flower color:

• Albus - white flowers without impurities of shades;
• Ocellatus - a bright red heart on a white flower;
• Cooler is a whole palette of shades from soft pink to deep red;
• Parasol - on a snow-white inflorescence, the core is dark red. This variety has a smaller height - about 40 cm.

Description perennial plant Vinca herbacea - herbaceous periwinkle - can be found in reference books medicinal plants.

Infusions are used to treat wounds, skin problems, diabetes, stomach ulcers.

Deciduous variety. Violet-blue inflorescences bloom for a month in early summer.

Growing periwinkle is an activity for the lazy

This perception of periwinkle - a plant for lazy gardeners - is due to the fact that a more unpretentious culture still needs to be looked for.

It grows in almost any conditions, on almost any soil, care is minimal, and it also helps to get rid of weeds. Of course, with such a set of advantages, he gained immense popularity for himself.

But the grower, accustomed to achieving the best results, will still try to create the most comfortable conditions for this unassuming plant, for which he will be rewarded in full.

Location selection

Creating thick emerald bedspreads in flowers on any surface, the periwinkle does not like stagnant moisture, prefers well-lit areas, but not direct sunlight.

Although for variegated varieties, illumination is a fundamental criterion: the more light the plant receives, the brighter the light stains on green leaves will be.

In shaded places, the variegation of color will fade.

But varieties with plain leaves feel quite comfortable in the shade.

During autumn haircut periwinkle cut fragments of shoots are used for grafting.

Cuttings with 3-4 internodes are suitable for propagation.

They are dipped for 20-30 minutes in a solution of a root formation stimulator or covered with dry powder ("Kornevin") and planted in prepared holes.

Planted vertically, above ground level it is enough to leave 2-3 leaves.

When planting several cuttings, you should immediately maintain a distance of about 30 cm between them. Planted cuttings are well watered.

Reproduction by dividing the bush

This method of reproduction of the periwinkle occurs in the spring, when the snow has already melted, the soil has warmed up a little, but the plant has not yet entered the stage of active growth.

Division of the periwinkle bush

The bush is dug up, the mother plant and lateral processes are separated so that the roots are on each part.

Pre-treatment with a root stimulator will help the divisions take root faster and more painlessly.

In holes dug 30 cm apart, delenki are planted, straightening the roots, falling asleep with earth with the addition of peat and sand, tightly compressing and compacting the soil.

Water well after planting.

Reproduction by seeds

Propagation by seeds is required only when the periwinkle is a new plant in the garden or you want to start a different variety.

Seeds of the popular groundcover are sold in specialty horticultural supply stores.

But if possible, it is easy to collect the seeds yourself.

How to collect and save periwinkle seeds

The fruits of different varieties - a pair of leaflets in the form of a cylinder - differ slightly in color and shape, but they all ripen in September.

I collect ripened seeds, be sure to dry them. Store them in a cool dry place in cloth bags.

Sowing seeds in open ground

In warm regions, where mild short winters and early spring, it is possible to plant periwinkle seeds in open ground.

Shoots will feel more comfortable on a semi-shaded bed. Seeds can be planted in spring and autumn, before winter.

To do this, in a prepared bed, cleared of weeds, loosened, fertilized with compost or rotted manure, seeds are sown in grooves, between which 10 cm, planting them into the soil up to 3 cm deep, and between the seeds - about 30 cm.

In the spring, the earth is saturated with moisture, which allows the sprouts to hatch faster, in the fall, after sowing, it is necessary to monitor the soil moisture.

Seedlings grow up very quickly, when 4-5 leaves appear on the stems, they can be transplanted to a permanent place in the flower garden.

Sowing seeds for seedlings at home

Periwinkle seeds are sown for seedlings in the spring, the exact recommendations for sowing dates should be found on the seed bag, since the timing of planting seedlings in open ground depends on local climatic conditions: the further north the region, the later the seedlings are planted and, therefore, the seeds are sown later.

Before sowing, the seeds are treated in a manganese solution to disinfect and increase immunity.

Instead of potassium permanganate, you can use stimulants "Epin", "Zircon".

For seedlings, any universal soil, peat tablets, is suitable.

You can plant in seedling boxes or individual cups. After sowing, the substrate is well watered, and the container is covered with a film or heat.

Before the emergence of seedlings, the seedling container can also be in a dark place, but it is important to provide heat, at least + 23 ° C.

As soon as sprouts appear, the periwinkle needs not only heat (the temperature should be lowered by 2-3 degrees), but also light.

The film (glass) must be removed from time to time for several minutes, increasing the duration of air procedures, and after a few days this protection is no longer needed.

After the appearance of 4-5 leaves, seedlings grown in a common box or container should be split into separate pots, in which the plants will develop before transplanting into open ground.

Transplanting periwinkle seedlings in open ground

The answer to the question of when to plant a periwinkle in open ground in spring also depends on the conditions of a particular season: if the ground has warmed up, weather forecasters do not promise night frosts, then the time has come to plant seedlings.

Usually round-the-clock positive temperatures in the Moscow region are set in mid-May, beyond the Urals - by the beginning of June.

Seedlings are placed in holes, between which 30-35 cm. For row spacing, at least 10 cm is allocated.

If planted in a checkerboard pattern, then the ground cover culture forms a continuous carpet much earlier.

Reproduction by layering

This is the easiest way to propagate the periwinkle: you just need to sprinkle the shoot with earth and keep the soil moist in this place so that the stem gives roots.

When the roots grow back, the plant will begin to strengthen in place, the stem is carefully cut before and after the rooted fragment, a new bush is dug up and transplanted.

The newly planted layers are watered, and very soon it begins to independently develop the territory.

For a more comfortable adaptation period in a new place, the layering can be covered with transparent plastic bottle right size, creating a kind of greenhouse.

Under these conditions, the soil is protected from drying out, which will allow the periwinkle to quickly build up the root system and begin active growth of the aerial part.

Features of periwinkle care

Periwinkle care open ground minimal, since the plant does not require special conditions and close attention of the gardener.

Watering

Drought-resistant perennial needs abundant watering only in the first stage of life - after planting.

In the hot dry months, a zealous grower waters flower beds and other flower beds, which means that the periwinkle gets life-giving moisture for a long and abundant flowering.

If the vinca ground cover solos (curb or carpet planting), then one watering per week will be enough for him.

top dressing

Periwinkle, undemanding to the composition and nutritional value of the soil, does not require separate fertilizer, but will gratefully respond to feeding with more lush greenery and an abundance of flowers.

To feed the decorative perennial in spring and autumn, the soil is fertilized with organic matter: humus, compost, rotted manure.

During the season twice - before flowering and during the period of the most abundant blooming of inflorescences - they are fed with urea, mineral fertilizers.

It is enough just to sprinkle a few granules before watering.

Trimming and pinching

Young plants are pinched to stimulate the development of new shoots, and mature thickets may need sanitary pruning of dead or damaged stems.

Planted in a flower garden of a strict form or well-defined contours, the ground cover can go beyond the boundaries and violate the grower's intention.

In these cases, pruning is also required.

Disease prevention and pest control

Vinka in all varietal diversity is a fairly resistant plant to attack by pests and diseases.

The reason lies in the dense leathery leaves, the toxicity of the juice.

The best prevention from problems is the attention and care of the gardener.

Periwinkle does not need much, and if the culture is provided with everything necessary, then the naturally strong immunity of the plant will be able to withstand adverse conditions.

Break through this defense under the power of the omnipresent powdery mildew and rust, which are caused by the activity of fungal spores.

If yellow-red or whitish stains are found on the leaves and shoots, urgent treatment with fungicidal preparations is required: "Fitosporin", "Topaz".

Periodically, it is necessary to inspect the lower part of the leaf plate, where scale insects or aphids can settle.

To combat pests, insecticides are used - "Aktara", "Fufanon" - and will not be superfluous folk remedies, including onion and garlic infusions, pollination with ash or irrigation with an ash solution, a solution of laundry soap.

Preparing for the winter

Properly preparing the plant for winter is the last stage of crop care in the season. This also applies to the evergreen wintering periwinkle, especially to its variegated varieties.

For the winter, the periwinkle must be mulched with humus or compost, covered with spruce branches, covered with leaves.

It is especially important to create a reliable shelter for young plants and varieties with variegated leaves.

In conditions middle lane In Russia, not every periwinkle will survive the winter, even with good shelter and heavy snowfalls, especially for varieties of large periwinkle, cataranthus (varieties of pink periwinkle).

And in Siberia, all types of vinca are cultivated as annuals.

If you cut cuttings in the fall, plant them in pots or containers at home, then in the spring it will be possible to make up for the loss of periwinkle in the fight against winter colds at the expense of home specimens.

Periwinkle in landscape design

Rapid growth, spectacular glossy green leaves, long periods of abundant flowering, the ability to cover any surface are qualities that allow periwinkle to be very widely used in decorating a site and decorating an interior.

As a ground cover plant, vinca is used in contrasting or monochrome borders and borders, as a plant of the lower tier - in mixborders and flower beds.

The ability to grow on almost bare stones makes it possible to grow it in rockeries and alpine hills.

For carpet plantings, you can plant a mixed periwinkle "Sicily. A mixture of colors, which can turn an unsightly piece of land into a colorful palette.

By planting vinca in near-trunk circles, the gardener solves three problems at once:

1. There are no weeds where vinca grows;
2. Covering the soil with a dense carpet and not needing a lot of moisture, periwinkle creates a protective layer to preserve soil moisture around fruit and ornamental plantings;
3. Decorative function in the shade of tree crowns.

For decorating terraces, verandas, arbors, loggias and balconies, interior spaces residential building ampelous periwinkle F1 - Catharanthus roseus (Vinca rosea) is planted in hanging planters.

In the interior compositions of potted flowers, the compact variety "Kiffa" is magnificent, which is distinguished by large inflorescences.

Combination with other plants

One of the best options for the neighborhood with the periwinkle, early bulbous (hyacinths, blueberries), Goryanka, primrose, geyhera, irises, forget-me-nots are considered.

A pillow of glossy leaves with delicate flowers will be a worthy background for daylilies, ferns, low conifers.

Whatever the first garden periwinkle is, it will be the first.

Because you will definitely want to know other varieties, come up with a composition for variegated or plain emerald varieties, try a new combination in a flower garden or grow a beautiful rug between shrubs.

There is some magic in this seemingly simple plant.

Looking at the delicate, unpretentious flowers above the waxy evergreen cushion of leaves, you catch a combination of transience and eternity, merged into one.

We recommend to know: