"Winter's Friend"
The Periwinkle
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Early settlers often lived many miles from neighbors. When a new family moved into an area, it was customary for neighboring couples, especially wives, to visit the new arrivals and bring potluck gifts of food (yeast starter for bread), surplus medicinal plants, flowering plants such as Periwinkle. Periwinkle is "evergreen" symbolizing "life everlasting", which is why it can often be found growing around abandoned habitation sites, as well as in-use churches, graveyards. When you find Periwinkle growing in the wild, look around. Very often it is near where a farm or ranch house once stood. |
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Periwinkle is a tough, resilent plant. It's fast growing and spreads freely. Moving into an empty farm or ranch house hedged with weeds, by planting Periwinkle, it took very little time for this plant to take hold, spread, add color, scent and texture to the new home. And there it was: a living reminder that there was female companionship nearby - no matter how far away. When the wife of a neighbor presented a newcomer's wife with a Periwinkle plant, it was a living reminder that she was not alone. That her neighbor-wife was there for her should she need help in childbirth, sickness, death. Periwinkle flowers have a wide variety of meanings. One of its earliest is of immortality. In modern times, these blossoms generally represent new friendship, fidelity in long time relationships, and spiritual harmony. As a gift, these flowers are sometimes presented to friends and family members, so as to show these people that they are loved. The periwinkle has medicinal properties. Has been used as a remedy for various ailments including high blood pressure and as a gargle for a sore throat. Because this plant blooms year round, it was looked upon as "winter's friend", a welcome and uplifting sight during harsh winter months. |
| For more information, please see: * Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West by Muriel Sweet, published by Naturegraph. |
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