Periwinkle flowers in full bloom in Mekong Delta

By Huynh Phuong   March 8, 2020 | 12:00 am PT
In March periwinkle flowers bloom in pink and white in the Mekong Delta province of An Giang, home to Tra Su Mangrove Forest and famous Ba Chua Xu Lady Temple.
Fields of periwinkle blossoms, adjacent to rice paddies in Phu Tan District, are its beautiful time of the year, attracting curious visitors and photographers.The flower field is located near Hau River, a branch of the Mekong River. Water to irrigate for the field is taken from a canal behind nearby residential area.

Fields of periwinkle blossoms next to rice paddies in Phu Tan District.

This place is near the Hau River, a branch of the Mekong River. Water to irrigate the fields is drawn from a canal nearby.

Periwinkle flowers are often grown as ornamental or used to make herbal medicines to support the treatment of blood pressure and diabetes.Some local residents donate their land for growing this flower with the purpose of curing the disease. In recent years, it has become a popular check-in destinations for visitors.

Periwinkle flowers are often grown as ornamental or used to make herbal medicines to support the treatment of blood pressure and diabetes.

Some local residents donate their land for growing this flower with the purpose of curing the disease. In recent years, it has become a popular check-in destination for visitors.

From the Lunar New Year, or Tet holiday until the end of lunar March is the most ideal time to visit An Giang, around 220 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, to admire fields of periwinkle flowers during their best season. An Giang is home to the Ba Chua Xu Lady Temple, one of the most famous spiritual sites in southern Vietnam, and Tra Su Mangro Forest,  a cajuput forest with long waterways that become an exotic place to float through during flooding season from September to November.

From the Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet, until the end of the third lunar month is the ideal time to visit An Giang, around 220 kilometers from Ho Chi Minh City, to admire the periwinkle flowers.

An Giang is also home to the Ba Chua Xu Lady Temple, one of the most famous spiritual sites in southern Vietnam, and Tra Su Mangrove Forest. The forest with its extensive waterways has become an exotic place to visit, especially during the flood season from September to November.

[Caption]A girl takes photo on the field. Visitors are advised not to trample or pick up flowers as these blossoms are used for disease treatment, extremely important to local people.

A girl takes a photo in a periwinkle field.

Visitors are advised not to step on or pick flowers as they are used for treating diseases. 

Residents often sow periwinkle in lunar November and harvest in April next year. The harvesting of plants, leaves and roots for processing of herbal medicines takes place before the rainy season around the end of April to the end of October each year.

Residents often sow periwinkle in the 11th lunar month and harvest it in the fourth month. The harvest of leaves and roots for making herbal medicines is done before the rainy season begins around the end of April.

Periwinkle flowers are easy to grow and can survive drought.

Periwinkle is easy to grow and can withstand drought.

Photos by Van Thai

 
 
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