Pink Rosy Periwinkle

Indonesian people call it Bunga Tapak Dara. Its botanical name is Catharanthus roseus. Rosy Periwinkle has silky, dark green, oval leaves (1-2 inches long) and flowers all summer long. The blooms of the natural wild plants are a pale pink with a purple "eye" in their centers.

The plant has traditionally been used to treat a wide variety of diseases. It was used as a folk remedy for Diabetes in Europe for centuries (also in Indonesia). In India, juice from the leaves was used to treat wasp stings. In Hawaii, the plant was boiled to make a poultice to stop bleeding. In China, it was used as an astringent, diuretic and cough remedy. In Central and South America, it was used as a homemade cold remedy to ease lung congestion and inflammation and sore throats. Throughout the Caribbean, an extract from the flowers was used to make a solution to treat eye irritation and infections. Very interesting plant, isn’t it?

Moreover, it also had a reputation as a magic plant; Europeans thought it could ward off evil spirits, and the French referred to it as "violet of the sorcerers."

I captured these flowers, on my visit to my grandfather’s house. I saw the plant on the left side yard.

Today's Flowers