Vinca minor

Vinca minor is an evergreen, native to large parts of central and southern Europe as well as the Anatolian peninsula in south-west Asia. It has long been used, and escaped from, cultivation. This means that it is today difficult to determine quite where it was native and where it is a archaeophyte (a plant that has long been naturalised in an area). In the United States, where it is also known as creeping myrtle or just myrtle, it was once commonly planted in cemeteries. It has since been naturalized and its occurrence may indicate the presence of no longer marked graves. In some parts of the US, the periwinkle spreads easily and competes with the native plants.

 

The lesser periwinkle was used to treat a whole range of illnesses despite all parts it being toxic. Today, its alkaline compounds are isolated for use in a range of medicines. The colour periwinkle or periwinkle blue takes its name from the flower.

In case you are wondering, yes, there is also a greater/large periwinkle, Vinca major which can be seen here flic.kr/p/2qXfod4

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