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Great Design Plant: Periwinkle
This lush and highly tolerant ground cover grows quickly and offers pretty blue blooms in spring
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta that I'll describe as "collected."
I got into design via Landscape Architecture, which I studied at the University of Virginia. I've been writing about design online for quite a few years over at Hatch: The Design Public Blog.
Houzz Contributor. Hi There! I currently live in a 1920s cottage in Atlanta... More »
Common periwinkle has become quite common indeed. The plant is extremely popular because of its ability to quickly cover the ground with elegant glossy leaves year-round. One plant can cover up to 8 square feet.
While common periwinkle sits on the "exotic invasive" line, you'll have nothing to worry about as long as you plant responsibly and keep an eye on it.
Yes, this plant is ridiculously popular, but I think of it this way: If this plant were in high school, it would be the person who was popular because she was nice to everyone.
While common periwinkle sits on the "exotic invasive" line, you'll have nothing to worry about as long as you plant responsibly and keep an eye on it.
Yes, this plant is ridiculously popular, but I think of it this way: If this plant were in high school, it would be the person who was popular because she was nice to everyone.
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| Botanical name: Vinca minor Common name: Common periwinkle, creeping vinca USDA zones: 4 to 9 (find your zone) Water requirement: Consistent moisture after first planting; doesn't need much after it's established. Light requirement: Does best in dappled shade but can grow in full sun or full shade as well. Mature size: 1 to 8 inches tall; will spread to cover large areas. Benefits and tolerances: Tolerant of shade, sun, wet soils and drought. This is a very low-maintenance plant; once it's established, all you need to worry about is keeping it from invading other areas. Seasonal interest: Has evergreen leaves; blooms from mid-spring to fall. When to plant: Early fall or spring. |
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by Liquidscapes
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Distinguishing traits. What makes periwinkle so popular is its ability to cover large areas with glossy green leaves. They have great variation from dark green to light, depending on how the sunlight is hitting them, and they look especially good with other evergreens, ferns and hostas.
There are many varieties of Vinca minor that will vary in height, leaf size and color, and flower color and size.
There are many varieties of Vinca minor that will vary in height, leaf size and color, and flower color and size.
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How to use periwinkle in the garden. Warning: Periwinkle can be invasive and spreads rapidly; be responsible and don't let it invade woodlands.
Now, on to the fun stuff. Periwinkle is a lovely ground cover, and its rapid spread is great when you have a large area you'd like to cover. It's very popular for foundation plantings and for providing a carpet of green as an alternative to mulch or pine straw. It's great to use underneath trees where grass will not grow.
Now, on to the fun stuff. Periwinkle is a lovely ground cover, and its rapid spread is great when you have a large area you'd like to cover. It's very popular for foundation plantings and for providing a carpet of green as an alternative to mulch or pine straw. It's great to use underneath trees where grass will not grow.
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| Here, a carpet of periwinkle borders a shady patio. Planting notes
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Comments
missychum Thanks Becky! One of my all time favourite plants and you've selected some beautiful inspirational photos. I especially love the one with patio and hostas. Do you know that ferny, grassy looking plant is between the hostas and periwinkle? Gorgeous.
8 months ago · Like
travisbuholtz Beautiful design. Love the combination of shrubbery and the spherical rock accents. Very chic!
8 months ago · Like
Christine Gomberg Just a note that in the Mid-Atlantic states we have a problem with deer mice. The deer mice LOVE to burrow under the periwinkle. I've had several neighbors that have come down with Lyme disease and they all wound up pulling up their periwinkle as a result. Beautiful plant but be careful of where you plant it.
8 months ago · Like
Rough Linen Periwinkle isn't popular with me Becky - I admit it has virtues, but one of them is that it comes up easily. She is like the annoying pest who won't go away!
8 months ago · Like
Ann Atkinson I live in Northern California and am still regretting (and removing) the periwinkle I planted on my property 25 years ago. Sorry - it's on my Garden Thug list. Proceed with caution if you live in NorCal.
8 months ago · Like
aprilinthegarden missychum- That plant is Japanese Forest Grass Hakonochlea 'Aurea'. It is a gorgeous plant!
8 months ago · Like
Lucie Martin Design, LLC This is an invasive species in some parts of the country, so before planting check your states invasive species list.
7 months ago · Like
Mark Wilson, ASLA Read the above article about responsible use of Pachysandra. At least in zones 6 - 8 that I'm aware of, Vinca minor occupies the same cultural niche as Pachysandra and will spread likewise. Use in contained areas is fine, but have seen woodlands and stream edges entirely covered by Periwinkle.
7 months ago · Like
sailorsaturn Periwinkle came with the purchase of the home when I bought it last year. Thank goodness it's contained in the backyard and in a small area of the rear side yard. The strata gardener has no problems trimming the one in the rear side yard while the main one in the backyard quietly blankets around shrubs and other shade-loving plants. It know wells of its boundaries or else it gets sheared, thus no complaints so far. Too bad it's deemed invasive because it really is a pretty plant that keeps pesky weeds out, that's for sure.
44 hours ago · Like
Ideabook published on Oct. 4, 2012.
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