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When to Plant Vinca Minor

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Richard Hoyt

Former farm boy Richard Hoyt, an avid gardener, has written novels while living on sugar cane, pepper and papaya plantations. He helped keep bees in Belize. A former magazine writer and newspaper reporter with a Ph.D. in American studies, he is the author of 26 novels of suspense.

By Richard Hoyt, eHow Contributor
When to Plant Vinca Minor thumbnail
When to Plant Vinca Minor

Vinca minor, Apocynacae, also known is the common periwinkle, is a low, trailing evergreen ground cover that does well in shady areas. A perennial, Vinca minor is prized for its showy blue, purple, near-white or white flowers. It is often used to control soil erosion and as a filler around other plants. Does this Spark an idea?

  1. Description

    • Three to six inches tall, Vinca minor has thin, wiry stems. Its summer foliage consists of 1- to 2-inch-long, elliptical leaves that are a dark, glossy green. The leaves, opposite one another on the stem, exude a milky white sap when they're broken and become leathery when they mature. The smaller vines offer the colorful blossoms. The periwinkle blooms in the early spring, continuing into summer. Neither the small berries nor the bark are ornamental.

    What Vinca Minor Likes

    • The deer-resistant vine thrives in the shade of large trees where there is insufficient sun for grass. The plant tolerates drought and does well in competition with tree roots. It likes well-drained fertile soil, but it is adaptable. It was originally native to western Asia and Europe and can be grown in colder regions with winter snow.

    What It Doesn't Like

    • Vinca minor doesn't do well in hot, sunny locations. It is susceptible to canker, blight, leaf spot and dieback.

    Drawbacks

    • Vinca minor, sometimes called creeping myrtle or the flower of death, is invasive, meaning that it spreads quickly. Uncontrolled, it can crowd out other plants and vegetation. Its stems can sprawl over the ground, reaching about 18 inches in length. As they creep along the ground, the vines root at the nodes.

    Propagation

    • In the spring, Vinca minor can be divided at the rootball or grown from cuttings of its vines. You can capture ripening seeds by bagging seed heads. Seeds should be sown directly outdoors in the fall. In the winter, they should be sown in a cold frame, in vented containers or in an unheated greenhouse. Seeds should be stratified if they are sown indoors.

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References

  • Photo Credit Credit: Photo by Leo Michels

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