Vinca minor

Vinca minor

Lesser periwinkle

Position: full sun or partial shade
Soil: any garden soil except dry
Flowering period: April to May
Height: 0,2-0,4m
Foliage: evergreen
Hardiness: fully hardy

Vinca minor, commonly known as lesser periwinkle, bears pretty flowers, appearing on long shoots with green ovate-shaped leaves in early spring. This evergreen perennial is a great ground cover plant and weed suppressor.

Also perfect for slopes and underplanting shrubs. Vinca minor is quite easy to grow and performs best in full sun or partial shade.

Varieties

Vinca minor

Vinca minor offers lovely, star-like violet-blue flowers with rich green foliage, looking good all year-round. Its spreading growth habit creates perfect ground cover.

Vinca minor ‘Gertrude Jekyll’

Vinca minor ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ and Vinca minor ‘Alba are white-flowering. Both varieties are really good for lightening up a shady corner of the garden.

Vinca minor ‘Atropurpurea’

Those who want purple flowers consider Vinca minor ‘Atropurpurea’.

Vinca major ‘Variegata’

Vinca major ‘Variegata’ is slightly different with large violet-blue flowers and green leaves with creamy-white edges. Expect a height of 40cm and a spread of 75cm.

Vinca minor ‘Atropurpurea’                  Vinca minor ‘Alba’

Pruning

Pruning Vinca minor (less periwinkle). Keep in mind that vinca minor can spread quickly. Cut back overlong shoots to keep the plant in check. Do this job in early spring.

Plant spacing

Space the plants 20-30cm apart.

Plant combination

Vinca minor mix well with other garden plants such as Carex, Brunnera macrophylla, Hosta, Epimedium.

Brunnera macrophylla