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The Apothecary: Periwinkle
By Adam Kane |
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One of Spring's most beautiful treasures, the periwinkle, can be seen popping up along roadsides and by woodlands all over. It is a low-lying evergreen that trails along the ground in small patches and blooms from April through May.
The entire plant grows between six and eight inches long. Its purplish-blue flowers are five lobed funnels with small white stars in the center; they are usually one inch wide. Its leaves are dark green and shiny.
The periwinkle has been used for many centuries for both its healing abilities and its legendary mystical properties. According to a quote from Apuleius it was thought that the periwinkle needed to be collected in a very special way to be useful. It could only be harvested on the 1st, 9th, 11th, or 13th days of the moon and the following needed to be recited while collecting it:
- "I pray thee, vinca pervinca, thee that art to be had for thy many useful qualities, that thou come to me glad blossoming with thy
mainfulness, that thou outfit me so that I be shielded and prosperous and undamaged by poisons and water."
The periwinkle is used medicinally today as an astringent. It is often prescribed to ease heavy menstrual periods or to help stop hemorrhaging. For these purposes an infusion is made from the flowers by using l ounce of the herb to one pint of water. The infusion can also be used for diarrhea.
A relative of the periwinkle, the Madagascar periwinkle. has recently become very prized by scientists and doctors. This is because it is the source of vincristine and vinblastine which are two of the drugs used to treat cancer.
The folklore surrounding the mystical abilities of the periwinkle is perhaps even more interesting than its medicinal purposes. The concept of the ancient mystical powers of the periwinkle is evident in its old name, Sorcerer's Violet. It was used both in love charms and to ward of evil.
The plant was commonly hung on the front doors of houses to protect the home from evil and to ward off snakes and other vermin. It was also carried by travelers to protect them from wild beasts.
The flowers are said to have been brewed in love potions and to be sprinkled under a person's bed to stimulate passion.
In Germany the periwinkle was the plant of immortality. However, in many other nations it was a funeral herb for children. It was often woven into wreaths to be placed on top of their coffins to help them on their way to the afterlife.
A plant with such a reputation as the periwinkle should certainly belong in the herbalist's cabinet. It also has an aroma that lends a sweet and loving scent to any sachet. |
  
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