Periwinkle
Vinca major / Vinca minor
Plant Description
Both greater and lesser periwinkle are trailing, evergreen perennial groundcovers with eye-catching blue-purple flowers. Opposite, waxy, broadly lance-shaped leaves with smooth margins grow on thin, viny stems.
Plant Details
| Life Forms | |
|---|---|
| Habitats | |
| Soil and Moisture Conditions | |
| Shade Preference | |
| Mature Height | 1.5-3' |
| Distribution | Commonly found where near old homesteads and in garden beds. Invading natural areas in the US. |
| Control | Prevention is best. Keep existing populations confined. Can be pulled by hand, dug or raked up, being sure to remove underground portions. |
| Disposal Methods | Dispose of trimmings in the trash. |
| Reproduction and Spread | Spreads rapidly by long trailing stems that root at their tips and leaf nodes. |
| Introduced | Introduced as an ornamental in the 1700s. |
| Impact | Forms mats that crowd out native species. |
| More Info |
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