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Vinca minor

Phonetic Spelling
VIN-kah MY-nor
This plant is an invasive species in North Carolina
Description

Periwinkle is an herbaceous perennial, broadleaf evergreen ground cover in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It is native to Europe and has a creeping, spreading habit. 

It tolerates high heat and nearly full shade but prefers full sun, partial shade, or dappled sunlight and moist soil with good drainage. It grows 3 to 6 inches high and 3 to 18 inches wide which makes it seem like a relatively small plant, but its rapid growth rate and ability to root at the nodes enables periwinkle to quickly form a dense mat over a wide area and become weedy and high maintenance. 

Identify periwinkle by its small, blue-lavender flowers that appear against the backdrop of dark green leathery foliage in spring and early summer and intermittently throughout the year. There are cultivars with variegated or gold leaves. The flowers attract bumblebees.

Its aggressive nature has won periwinkle a spot on many states' invasive species lists including North Carolina's. Please consider native alternatives listed in the left-hand column.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Vine stem canker (blight) can damage or kill large patches and periwinkle can spread aggressively into adjacent lawns, gardens and natural areas.  

VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers" a plant identification course offered in partnership with Longwood Gardens. 

Profile Video:
See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • '24 Carat'
    Gold color of young leaves
  • 'Bowles'
  • 'Honeydew'
    Small, glossy, oval-to-elliptic, chartreuse leaves; tubular, phlox-like, lavender-blue flowers. Dense foliage.
  • 'Variegata'
    Dark green leaves, irregular creamy white margins, mat forming, low growing violet blue flowers in spring, rebloom.
'24 Carat', 'Bowles', 'Honeydew', 'Variegata'
Tags:
#evergreen#invasive#salt tolerant#apvg#high maintenance#fast growing#aggressive#deer resistant#trailing#groundcover#fantz#leathery leaves#partial shade tolerant#HS302#apvg-vg#weed#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • '24 Carat'
    Gold color of young leaves
  • 'Bowles'
  • 'Honeydew'
    Small, glossy, oval-to-elliptic, chartreuse leaves; tubular, phlox-like, lavender-blue flowers. Dense foliage.
  • 'Variegata'
    Dark green leaves, irregular creamy white margins, mat forming, low growing violet blue flowers in spring, rebloom.
'24 Carat', 'Bowles', 'Honeydew', 'Variegata'
Tags:
#evergreen#invasive#salt tolerant#apvg#high maintenance#fast growing#aggressive#deer resistant#trailing#groundcover#fantz#leathery leaves#partial shade tolerant#HS302#apvg-vg#weed#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Vinca
    Species:
    minor
    Family:
    Apocynaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    groundcover
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Europe to Caucasus
    Wildlife Value:
    Attracts bumblebees.
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ground Cover
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Weed
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Horizontal
    Prostrate
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    High
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    Less than 12 inches
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Winter
    Fruit Type:
    Follicle
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Blue
    Purple/Lavender
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Head
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Tubular
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Flowers are axillary, solitary, lilac-blue; corolla rotate, 5-lobed, actinomorphic, on more upright stems.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Feel:
    Leathery
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Oblong
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Entire
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Leaves are opposite, simple, evergreen, elliptic, to 1 inch long, entire, medium green.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Description:
    Stems are thin and wiry erect to about 6", then arching over to ground and trailing.
  • Landscape:
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Erosion
    Heavy Shade
    Poor Soil
    Salt
    Problems:
    Invasive Species
    Weedy