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In this photojournalism article introducing her new column about flowers, Raven writes about periwinkles.
PeriwinkleS
PeriwinkleS
By Raven Tucker
By Raven Tucker
Many people are familiar with small, purple flowers with sweet nectar inside. These flowers are called periwinkles, also known as vinca major and vinca minor. What is the difference between the two, and where can they be found?
Periwinkle by Raven Tucker
Vinca minor is known by many different names, including dwarf periwinkle, lesser periwinkle, (ouch) and running myrtle. The flower originates from Europe to the Caucasus area, and is now found in North America and Asia. The flower petals can be blue, purple, and white, blooming during spring and summer. It is a small flower, only an inch overall. According to the North Carolina State Extension, periwinkles are an invasive species. The author writes, “...periwinkle can spread aggressively into adjacent lawns, gardens, and natural areas.”
Vinca major is similar to vinca minor, though there are some notable differences. Vinca major is also called Greater Periwinkle, Big Leaf Periwinkle, and Blue Button. This flower originated in Asia, but is now found in many other places. Vinca major is also found in blue, purple, or white colors, but has different petal shapes and a larger size than vinca minor.
Periwinkle by Raven Tucker
Periwinkle by Raven Tucker
One commonality between vinca minor and major is their culinary uses. While it is not recommended to eat them, they are often used for medicinal purposes. Herbal Reality says, “Pharmaceuticals have been synthesised from the chemicals found naturally in this plant, for conditions of the nervous system.” Some issues that this flower’s properties help to ease include loss of mental focus, memory, dizziness, headaches, anxiety, stress, and many more. Two good ways to differentiate the two include looking at the petals and size. While vinca minor is only an inch, vinca major can be 1-3 inches. The petals are shaped differently, with vinca major having heart-shaped petals and vinca minor having wedge-shaped petals. Vinca minor also has thicker petals, while vinca major has thinner ones.
Flowers make up quite a bit of plant life, at least compared to the amount we see on a daily basis. While education on these flowers is not required in daily life, it may be helpful for anybody who wishes to learn more, to plant a garden, or even cook with them.
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