Scientific Name:
Vinca minor
Pronunciation:
VINK-uh MY-nur
Common Name:
periwinkle, creeping myrtle
Family Name:
Apocynaceae
Plant Type:
Ground cover, Invasive plant
Key ID Features:
Fast growing evergreen ground cover; stems thin, flexible, will root at nodes, exudes milky sap when broken; leaves opposite, decussate, blades ovate-elliptic, most 2-4cm long x 1-2cm wide, glossy, dark green, petioles 2-3mm long; flowers ~3cm wide, most violet blue, trumpet shaped.
Habit:
Spreading
Form:
Creeping / Mat-like
Texture:
Fine
Mature Height:
0.1 - 0.2m
Mature Spread:
> 25m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Europe
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Filtered shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Acidic, Well-drained
Water Use:
Low
Landscape Uses:
Ground cover, Group or mass planting, Hanging basket, Perennial border, Rock garden, Spring interest
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Opposite
Texture/Venation:
Leathery
Surfaces:
Glabrous, Lustrous
Colour in Summer:
Green, Dark-green
Colour in Fall:
Green, Dark-green
Shapes:
Elliptic, Oblong, Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Attenuate
Margins:
Entire
Inflorescence Type:
Flowers solitary, Floriferous
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
5
Corolla Shape:
Funnelform
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Showy, White, Blue, Violet, Purple
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
Mar, Apr
Fruit Type:
Aggregate fruit, Follicle
Fruit Colour:
Green, Brown
Fruiting Time:
May, Jun
Additional Info:
Fruit insignificant, in pairs, each cylindrical to 8cm with 6 to 8 seeds
Bark Morphology:
Smooth
Bark or Stem Colour:
Green, Red
Organ Modifications:
Runners (or stolons)
Propagation:
Seed, Cuttings
Maintenance:
Low
Pest Susceptibility:
Canker or sap rot, Dieback, Scale insects (Pest resistant, Disease resistant, Deer resistant, Rabbit resistant, Drought tolerant)
Course(s):
- CLT Training
- HORT 1155
- Level 2 Apprenticeship
Location(s):
- (ONW) Overpass North side West