Common Periwinkleis a shrub that will be perfect as a ground cover plant, green in a large area and will cope well under larger trees. It is easily available, andthe cultivation of the common periwinkleis not a problem for gardening enthusiasts. Meet the most interestingvarieties of the common periwinkleto grow in the garden, see how to care for this plant and how easy it isreproduction of the periwinkleHere's everything you need to know to make periwinkle grew beautifully in your garden!
Common Periwinkle
The common periwinkle(Vinca minor) is an evergreen shrub with creeping shoots that take root at the nodes. It forms a dense turf with raised inflorescence shoots, reaching up to 30 cm in height.The common periwinkle blooms in April / May , but single flowers also appear on the plant from August to September (re-flowering).The common periwinkle blooms purple-blue , but depending on the variety, the flowers may take a different color - white or red. Throughout the year, we can admire the elliptical, dark green, shiny leaves of the periwinkle.
Common periwinkle - cultivation
Growing the common periwinklewill not be a problem even for a beginner gardener. Periwinkle grows well in fertile, humus and moist soil, but it also succeeds in worse soil.
The common periwinkle can grow in the shade as well as in the sun. Wherebythe periwinkle tolerance to sunlightmay differ depending on the variety.Thus, both shaded and fully shaded sites tolerate the periwinkle cultivars 'Atropurpurea' and 'Gertrude Jekyll'. The periwinkle variety 'Ralph Shugert' shows its full value only in sunny to slightly shaded positions. The 'Variegata' variety, on the other hand, should always be kept in light or full shade.
Common periwinkle 'Variegata' with light-edged leaves
The winter period periwinkle tolerates wellif it is covered with snow.In the cultivation of the common periwinkleit should be remembered that with high humidity of air and soil, there may be a problem with dying shoots, which turn black with the leaves. The common periwinkle does not usually need pruning, but the plant can handle heavy pruning if necessary.Periwinkle cuttingis best done in the spring.Due to the low requirements and decorative all year round, periwinkles are often planted in parks and city gardens, where they are perfect ground cover plants on areas under large trees.They are also willingly used as plants in the cemetery.
Common periwinkle 'Alba' with white flowers
Common periwinkle - varieties
Availablevarieties of the common periwinkleallow you to integrate this interesting evergreen plant into any garden. Varieties of the common periwinkle differ from each other not only in the color of flowers, the color of the leaves, but also in the timing of flowering. These distinctive features makeperiwinkle an extremely attractive plant , which is worth planting in your garden.
For the convenience of our readers, we have sortedthe most attractive varieties of the common periwinklein a practical table that facilitates selection.
Common periwinkle - reproduction
The common periwinkle multipliesvery easily. It is enough to pick up shoot cuttings at the end of summer or to propagate it by division.
The reproduction of the common periwinkle by divisionconsists in cutting the root ball of the plant with a sharp spade and planting it in a new prepared place. It's best to do it in the fall.
Propagation of the common periwinkle by shoot cuttingsinvolves taking cuttings about 20 cm long, then the end of the cuttings should be dipped in the rooting agent and planted in a mixture of sand and peat at a temperature of 15- 18 ° C.
Periwinkle seedlingsit is worth to additionally cover with perforated foil, thanks to which we will keep the substrate constantly moist. However, remember to remove the foil from time to time and ventilate the seedlings.In autumn, we transplant the periwinkle into potswith a diameter of 10 cm, filled with humus soil and leave it for the winter in an inspection at 5 ° C.
If we do not have the common periwinkle in the garden yet , you can orderperiwinkle seedlings in interesting varietiesin our friendly shop.To see the available periwinkle varieties, press the button below.
MSc Eng. Joanna Białowąs
