An evergreen trailing vine with dark green 1" x 1 1/2" - 3" leaves. Blue-lilac 1"-2" flowers in early spring. Spreads quickly once established. Fairly drought resistant, a fast grower with regular watering.

Prefers shade and well-drained, fertile, loamy soil. Will also grow well in full sun in northern zones (and in most southern zones with ample water). Tolerant of infrequent foot traffic. Mature prostrate height 8" - 18", spacing 8" - 12".

Vinca is a low-maintenance delight - great for controlling soil erosion on shady slopes, for covering the soil under trees and shrubs and for window boxes.

Vinca (from Latin vincire "to bind, fetter") is a genus of five species of in the family Apocynaceae, native to Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. The common name, shared with the related genus Catharanthus, is Periwinkle.

They are subshrubs or herbaceous, and have slender trailing stems 1-2 m long but not growing more than 20-70 cm above ground; the stems frequently take root where they touch the ground, enabling the plant to spread widely. The leaves are opposite, simple broad lanceolate to ovate, 1-9 cm long and 0.5-6 cm broad.

The flowers, produced through most of the year, are salverform (like those of Phlox), simple, 2.5-7 cm broad, with five petals joined together at the base to form a tube. The fruit consists of a group of divergent follicles; a dry fruit which is dehiscent along one rupture site in order to release seeds.

The two species (the Small Periwinkle V. minor and the Large Periwinkle V. major), are very popular ornamental plants in gardens, grown for dense evergreen ground cover and their delicate violet flowers. V. major has broader leaves with a hairy margin and larger flowers, is less cold hardy, and has twice as many chromosomes as V. minor. A variegated selection of V. major is commonly cultivated.

Full sun Part sun Shade

Zones: 6-11 (grown as an annual in Zones 3-5)