Vinca minor L. – Lesser periwinkle or creeping myrtle

Vinca minor L., commonly known as lesser periwinkle or creeping myrtle, is a cold-hardy, herbaceous perennial species belonging to the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It is native to Western Europe and has been introduced widely across North America and Asia, within the temperate biome.
This species forms dense, carpet-like mats composed of prostrate stems and foliage, typically reaching a height of 15–20 cm. Lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor L.) develops two distinct stem types: trailing, vegetative stems that root at the nodes, and erect, flowering stems bearing solitary, actinomorphic flowers on short pedicels. The leaves are opposite, elliptic, dark green, and glossy. The inflorescence consists of funnel-shaped corollas with five lobes, whose upper margins give the appearance of a clean cut.
A well-developed root system enables the plant to propagate vigorously through vegetative means—either by division or via stolons that readily root upon contact with soil. Numerous horticultural cultivars of creeping myrtle (Vinca minor L.) have been developed, varying in flower color and morphology.
Since the Middle Ages, lesser periwinkle has been used in European folk medicine to treat ailments such as headaches, inflammation, and hypertension. Today, however, it is primarily valued for its ornamental use - as a groundcover species in landscape architecture, particularly in shaded green spaces, cemetery plantings, and erosion control settings.
Currently, the blooming of Vinca minor L. can be admired in the Spring Garden and in various other shaded retreats across the University Botanical Garden – Balchik.