Periwinkle, information and care tips

Vinca (commonly: periwinkle) is a very hardy plant belonging to the Apocynaceae family, with persistent foliage and flowers of various colors, which grows well in both light and shade.

It is a creeping sub-shrub that is resistant to drought and frost, adapting well to almost all environmental conditions. When planted in warmer climates, it can resprout each year as a perennial plant, but in colder areas, it behaves as an annual plant.

Vinca grows purple flowers in spring, although they can also be white or pink. It blooms spectacularly in spring, but it can also occasionally bear flowers in summer.

Periwinkle is often used as a creeping, groundcover species or as an ornamental flower growing in suspended containers.

Vinca – Species

Vinca minor
Vinnca major

The main difference between Vinca minor and Vinca major is their size. Also, Vinca minor has dark green foliage, while Vinca major has light green foliage. Another difference is the color of the flowers, V. minor has purple-brown flowers and V. major has white-yellow flowers. Both species are used for the same purpose.

Vinca – Cultivars

Argenteovariegata (the leaves have creamy-white edges)
Atropurpurea (the flowers are burgundy-purple in colour)
Azurea Flore Pleno (flowers are double, blue in colour)
Bowles’s Variety (blue-violet flowers: also known as ‘Bowles’s Blue’ and ‘La Grave’.)

Vinca – Environmental conditions

Light. Periwinkle prefers partly sunny or partially shaded places, but it also tolerates full shade. Direct exposure to the sun can cause sunburn spots.

Temperature. It prefers higher temperatures, but also withstands lower temperatures.

Humidity. It cannot withstand excessive humidity.

Soil. It needs well-drained, fertile, compost-rich soil. It can also tolerate poorer soils.

Care

Watering. It is recommended to water moderately, directly at the roots. The plant grows very well in damp, moist soil but it can also tolerate drought at maturity.

Fertilizing. It is beneficial to fertilize this type of plant. By fertilizing, the plant is given support to develop a persistent, deep green foliage and the flowering will also be richer. Fertilizing can be done once or twice a month with a product containing nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

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Read carefully and follow the instructions on the label of each product

Propagation

Propagation can be done in several ways, it can be done by seeds (but the growth is very slow), by cuttings (from July to August), but the most used method is by bush-dividing (it can be done in autumn or spring).

Diseases and pests

Vinca attracts typical outdoor/indoor plant pests such as aphids, mites, whiteflies, woolly apple aphids. Specific treatments can be used for these pests at the onset of infestation. Also, this sub-shrub can suffer from certain fungal diseases (caused by excessive humidity).