Periwinkle is an herbaceous perennial, broadleaf evergreen ground cover in the dogbane family (Apocynaceae). It is native to Europe and the Caucasus and has a creeping, spreading habit. It tolerates high heat and nearly full shade but prefers full sun, partial shade, or dappled sunlight and moist soil with good drainage. It grows 3 to 6 inches high and 3 to 18 inches wide which makes it seem like a relatively small plant, but its rapid growth rate and ability to root at the nodes enables periwinkle to form a dense mat over a wide area and become weedy and high maintenance in a short order. Identify periwinkle by its small, blue-lavender flowers that appear against the backdrop of dark green leathery foliage in spring and early summer and intermittently throughout the year. There are cultivars with variegated or gold leaves. The flowers attract bumblebees. Its aggressive nature has won periwinkle a spot on many states' most unwanted lists. Please consider native alternatives listed in the left-hand column. The two species of periwinkle in cultivation differ as follows: Vinca major has leaves that are broadest below the middle, and the leaf bases are cordate (heart-shaped) to nearly rounded. The leaves are thin in texture (relative to the other species) and ciliate on their margins. The flowers are larger than other other species. Vinca minor has leaves that are broadest near the middle and the leaf bases are rounded to cuneate (wedge-shaped). The leaves are thick in texture (relative to the other species) and not ciliate on their margins. The flowers are smaller than other other species. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Vine stem canker (blight) can damage or kill large patches and periwinkle can spread aggressively into adjacent lawns, gardens and natural areas. It is classified as an invasive species by the NC Invasive Plant Council. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
High
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Horizontal; Prostrate; Spreading
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Oblong; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Leathery
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves are opposite, simple, evergreen, elliptic, to 1 inch long, entire, medium green.
Flower color
Blue; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Head
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Flowers are axillary, solitary, lilac-blue; corolla rotate, 5-lobed, actinomorphic, on more upright stems.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Follicle
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Stems are thin and wiry erect to about 6", then arching over to ground and trailing.