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Periwinkle 'Ralph Shugert' {2 1/2 in. Pots, min 54}
1 customer review
Vinca minor 'Ralph Shugert' (AKA Ralph Shugart', Creeping Myrtle, Ralph Shugert Periwinkle, Variegated Lesser Periwinkle)
Pronunciation: VINK-uh MY-nor RALF SHOO-gurt
Product: 9340
Shipping description: This product cannot be shipped to AZ, CA, NV, OR, or WA

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54 - 107: $2.77 each108 - 1025: $2.47 each
1026 - 2537: $2.35 each2538 - 5021: $2.30 each
5022 - 10043: $2.22 each10044 - 20033: $2.10 each
20034+: $1.98 each
Temporarily out of stock. Expected 01/01/2020.
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See photographs comparing average sizes of some bare roots and potted plants
Billows of variegated, cream and vivid green foliage spread quickly to form a dense, weed-suppressing carpet of color on Ralph Shugart, perhaps the most superior of its kind on the market. When it comes to elegance, you'll find it difficult to rival this evergreen trailing vine, and when it comes to blossom color, you just won't beat it.

From May-June, rich blue-purple flowers abound like amethyst collars around the stems of variegated foliage creating a cacophony of color in both sunny and shades locations. With sporadic reblooming up to frost, this Vinca is a staple choice for seasoned gardeners.

Like most Vinca, Ralph Shugert does best in partial shade and produces fewer blooms in deep shade. Showy spring blooms and abundant cream-rimmed evergreen foliage will paint your garden like a Monet with this show-stopping Vinca variety.

Gardener Tips
Place under hydrangea for a unique contrast of foliage and complimenting color hues.

Grown under roses, this variety plays beautifully off the less dense foliage of rose bushes giving a year-round sense of color and depth.
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
Shipping
No unusual shipping concerns for this plant.
FREE SHIPPING - Classy Groundcovers offers free shipping, and your plants never spend more than three days in transit.

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Shipping information that applies to all plants:
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Care
In areas where spreading is not desired, trim back the runners before they take root or prune ruthlessly once a year.
Will tolerate sun if given enough moisture.
General information that applies to all plants:
- Ground preparation, fertilization, pH
- Planting instructions
- Explanation and description of bare roots
- How to plant bare root plants
- If you cannot plant bare roots right away

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As this was my first purchase from your company I was not expecting such handsome, robust plants when I ordered, so was very pleasantly surprised to unpack the vinca you sent. Each plant is healthy and nicely developed, not a single yellowed leaf in the whole... Read full review >

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