The vinca minor It is a wonderful plant to decorate gardens and terraces. Its growth rate is quite fast, and its flowering is spectacular, becoming almost completely covered with flowers from spring to early autumn.
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Characteristics of Vinca minor
Our protagonist is a subshrub native to central and southern Europe and southwest Asia whose scientific name is precisely: vinca minor. It is an upholstery plant, perfect for covering land. It reaches a height of 40cm, and has evergreen leaves, 4,5cm x 2,5cm, of bright green color. The flowers, which sprout from spring to autumn, are solitary, blue-purple or white, and measure 2-3cm in diameter. The fruit is a pair of 25mm long follicles, inside which are numerous seeds.
Its cultivation is very simple, suitable for beginners. It is decorative and not demandingso that regardless of the experience you have in the care of plants, with this species you will not have any problem.
How do you take care of yourself?
Having one or more specimens of this plant is a delight, as you just have to provide them with the following care so that it blooms abundantly:
Location
Place your plant outside, in an area where it is directly exposed to the sun. It can also be in semi-shade, but it must have more light than shade to be able to bloom in abundance.
Soil or substrate
It is not demanding, but If it is grown in a pot, it is highly recommended to mix a universal culture substrate with 20 or 30% perlite or some material similar in order that the sewer system be good. In this way, the soil will be prevented from puddling, which would end up suffocating the roots.
Irrigation
Every 2 days in summer, and every 4 days the rest of the year. In case of doubt, the humidity of the substrate must be checked before watering by inserting a thin wooden stick at different points. If when you extract it, it comes out practically clean, it is because the earth is dry and, therefore, it must be watered.
It is much easier to recover a dry plant than one that has suffered excess watering, because with excess moisture the fungi immediately proliferate, weakening it. For this reason, in addition to controlling irrigation, it is worth doing preventive treatments in spring and autumn with copper or sulfur, which are two very effective natural fungicides. Of course, if you have children or pets make sure to keep the plant treated for them.
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Throughout the flowering season, must be paid with a fertilizer for flowering plants. It can also be paid with liquid organic fertilizers, such as guano, following the instructions specified on the package; or even alternate, using one month and the next the other.
Transplant / Planting time
Whether you want to definitely pass it on to the garden or to a larger pot, you can do it from spring to early summer.
Multiplication
You can obtain new specimens by sowing their seeds in spring or by their natural layers in spring-summer. Let’s see how to proceed in each case:
Seeds
- The first thing to do is prepare the seedbed. As such you can use a seedling tray, glasses of yogurt, milk containers, peat pastilles (Jiffy), or conventional pots.
- Once you have chosen the seedbed, you have to fill it with universal growing substrate mixed with 30% perlite, or with one prepared for seedlings (you will find both for sale in any nursery or garden store).
- Now, water it well so that it is very wet.
- Next, place a maximum of 3 seeds on the surface of the substrate, so that they are slightly separated from each other.
- Then cover them with a -very- thin layer of substrate.
- Finally, water again and place the seedbed in an area where it will be exposed to direct sunlight.
The first ones will germinate after 7-10 days.
Simple natural layer
- First, you need to dig up the plant a bit.
- Next, choose a stem that has roots and carefully separate it from the mother plant.
- Once you have it, plant it in a pot with vermiculite.
- And finally, water.
Plagues and diseases
It can be affected by the following pests and diseases:
Pests
The aphids They are green, yellow or brown parasites that attack all plants in the garden. Normally, they adhere to the stems and flowers, feeding on the sap.
It is treated with insecticides or with ecological anti-aphid traps.
Diseases
- Virus: are diseases transmitted by viruses, which cause the appearance of yellow spots on the flowers. There is no cure.
- Powdery mildew: The powdery mildew fungus makes the leaves look like a grayish powder. It is treated with a systemic fungicide.
- Root rot: occurs when there is excess moisture. Irrigation should be spaced and the substrate replaced if it does not have good drainage. Also, if you have a plate underneath, you have to remove the excess water 15 minutes after watering.
- Leaf spots: if the leaves start to have spots, it is because the plant is being attacked by fungi. It is treated with fungicides such as zineb.
Rusticity
Vinca minor is a beautiful plant that withstands cold and mild frosts down to -3ºC. In the event that you live in an area where winter is colder, you can place it inside the home, in a room where a lot of natural light enters and where it is away from drafts (both cold and warm).
Uses
It is a herbaceous plant that is normally used for decoration. It is very ornamental and, due to its size, it is perfect to have it in any corner and even as a centerpiece. But, did you know that it has medicinal properties? In fact, can be used as a pain reliever and brain vasodilator, to recover from heart attacks, to stimulate appetite, and in the event of head trauma.
It is consumed in infusion, liquid or dry extract, tincture or powder. But you should not use it in these cases according to the web Plants to heal:
- Pregnancy
- Lactation
- Tumors with cranial hypertension
- Consumption of medications such as quinidine, amiodarone, anthrachionic laxatives, or medications that enhance potassium loss.
What did you think of this plant?
