Vinca minor commonly known as vinca or periwinkle is one of the most popular and widely used ground covers. Trailing stems with smooth, evergreen leaves (to 1.5" long) root at the nodes as they go along the ground and quickly spread to form an attractive ground cover. Tubular, lavender blue, phlox-like flowers (to 1 inch across) appear in the leaf axils in spring and continue to flower intermittently throughout summer into fall. Vinca minor vines stay short, sprawling out over the ground. They typically stand only three to six inches off the ground, but their trailing stems can reach 18 inches in length. The stems of these plants root at their joints as they creep along the ground and spread rapidly to become a pretty flowering ground cover able to fill in a large area and keep weeds down.
Relatively easy to care for, Vinca minor grows in partial sun, partial shade, and full shade. It tolerates deep shade conditions but may burn in direct sunlight. For best results, plant them in partial shade. Also, they are a good choice for a ground cover for an area with dry shade. Vinca minor vines require good drainage. Space them about a foot apart if you want to fill in an area quickly. Achieving vigorous growth is usually not difficult for these plants. They will thrive in soils rich in compost, but they will tolerate poorer soils. While the plants will grow better in moist soils, its vines are pretty drought-tolerant once mature. Vinca minor vines have often been planted beneath big trees, where most lawn grass would fail to grow well due to not getting enough sunshine. A vine for shade will do much better in such spots than grass.
Vinca minor is a versatile ground cover for shady areas. Good cover for bulbs. Effective on slopes or banks to stabilize soils and prevent erosion. It is deer-resistant, the flowers are rabbit-proof, and few insects eat them, so there is not much pest control to worry about. Vinca minor vines are considered somewhat invasive plants, so, if this is a concern for you, make it a point each year to keep their runners in check. Invasive plants are vigorous growers, meaning that they tend to be successful at filling in an area. This is often exactly what you want out of a ground cover.
Visit us for Periwinkle (Vinca minor):
$6.49 per 6-pack
(Price through October 2021)