Vinca minor 'Bowles' | Periwinkle 'Bowles' | {25 Pots - 3 1/4 in.}

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Home » Finding Your Perfect Plants » Periwinkle, Myrtle

Periwinkle 'Bowles' {3 1/4 in. Pots, min 25}

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Vinca minor 'Bowles' (AKA La Grave', 'Bowles Blue', 'Bowlesii', Creeping Myrtle, La Grave/Bowles Periwinkle, Bowles's)

Pronunciation: VINK-uh MY-nor BOWLZ (lah-GRAV)
Product: 704

Shipping description: This product cannot be shipped to AZ, CA, NV, OR, or WA

Available sizes:

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25 - 249: $4.97 each	250 - 999: $4.67 each
1000 - 2499: $4.44 each	2500 - 4999: $4.34 each
5000 - 9999: $4.20 each	10000 - 19999: $3.97 each
20000+: $3.74 each

Temporarily out of stock. Expected soon.

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Content note — AI-assisted: Some images, descriptions, and specs on this page may have been generated with AI and might not be perfect. If you’re new to this plant, please check verified photos [here] and feel free to contact us with questions.

Also available as:

Periwinkle 'Bowles' {flat of 18 Pots - 3 1/4 in}
$107.47 ($5.97 per plant)
In stock.
Periwinkle 'Bowles' {flat of 50 Peat Pots - 2 1/4 in}
$173.97 ($3.48 per plant)
In stock.
Periwinkle 'Bowles' {1-Gallon pot}
$31.47 or less
Temporarily out of stock. Expected date unknown.

See photographs comparing average sizes of some bare roots and potted plants

If you love Vinca, but desire bulkier foliage, Bowles ('La Grave') should definitely be on your radar. Her elegant evergreen trailing pond-green foliage features larger leaves with more visible veining than most Vinca.

The dainty deep-lilac (1/2-inch) flowers that explode all over her green carpeting foliage in early spring are reminiscent of thousands of miniature lavender pinwheels giving a happy, playful feel to any garden. Fantastic emerald foliage and bountiful flowers make Bowles a favorite among our customers.

Gardener Tip
Use Bowles in locations where you'd like a bit of height and bulk to the foliage, keeping in mind that she is the perfect selection for growing under ornamental trees.

See other plants that go well with this plant.

General information about Vinca (Periwinkle, Myrtle):
An American classic commonly referred to as Periwinkle or Myrtle, Vinca, with her graceful, cascading foliage on slim trailing stems and delicate phlox-like flowers, is an irresistible garden groundcover. Her blooms peek out in early spring and heavily cover the foliage, then sparsely persist throughout summer.

Evergreen and utterly low-maintenance, her lanceolate foliage (from 1/4 to 3 1/2 inches long and 1/8- 3/16 inches broad) sits opposite one another and tends to be low-growing (though some varieties can grow up to 2 feet high).

It spreads far and wide as the long stems grow, touch the ground, and root where they touch. Because of her fast spreading habit and ability to blanket an area quickly, Vinca is useful at controlling soil erosion on shady slopes and for covering for large blank spaces and difficult bare spots under trees and shrubs.

Subshrubs with woody habits, both Vinca major and Vinca minor are highly sought after because they can completely carpet an area quickly and economically with the added bonus of delicate salverform flowers willing to blossom in shade or full sun.

Because she doesn’t climb, Vinca is a perfect alternative to ivy when you need a solid, resilient absolutely lovely, classic look. Gardeners love the fact that it is tolerant of infrequent foot traffic and deer. Provided she's given frequent drinks, Vinca minor is perfect for difficult poor soil, surprising many gardeners with her adaptability, but of course, she’ll blow your mind when planted in organic, moist, well-drained, loamy soil.

Things to Note
Compared to Vinca minor, Vinca major is less cold hardy, more tolerant of heat, has broader, hairier leaves, larger flowers, and twice as many chromosomes.

Comparison of V. minor vs. V. major

	Needs shade in	Prefers shade in	Tolerates full sun in
Vinca minor	Zone 9	Zones 6-8	Zones 4-5
Vinca major	Zone 11	Zone 10	Zone 6-9

Be aware that Vinca can be invasive, and should only be used in contained areas or spaces where she can have free run.

Only a thin layer (if any) of mulch should be used, because Vinca spreads by re-rooting where runners touch the ground.

Interesting Facts
Vinca (from Latin vincire "to bind, fetter") is a genus of six species in the family Apocynaceae; it is native to Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. Vinca’s common name, shared with its related genus Catharanthus, is Periwinkle.

Gardener Tips
Gardeners often opt to use Vinca in flower boxes, urns and hanging baskets because of their elegant, dangling stems. In a planter, consider pairing Vinca with spring bulbs, then summer annuals, followed by evergreen sprigs and berries for year-round curbside appeal.

Vinca is a lovely complement to creeping phlox and lavender in a rock garden.

Vinca loves to spread, but not typically upward. If planting Vinca on a slope, be sure to start at the highest point and then place plants evenly spaced down the slope. This will ensure even, full coverage.

While all parts of the vinca plant are slightly toxic, that small amount consumed by a pet is unlikely to cause signs (loss of coordination, seizures, diarrhea, vomiting and depression). It would be best to watch your dog or cat closely over the next 24 hours, and if you see any signs of vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, or tremors, he/she needs to be seen right away by a veterinarian.

See all Vinca.

Specifications