Can vinca and roses successfully co-exist?

7 years ago

I have a two-sided border with a privet hedge spine which was underplanted with vinca. On one side of the hedge I have planted roses, spirea, irises, daylilies, nepeta and dahlias. The other side of the hedge is planted with hydrangeas, ferns and salvias. The vinca has become very aggressive and is becoming a ground cover throughout the borders, especially on the sunnier rose side. Does it need to be controlled or compensated for? If so how? Or will I eventually have to remove it altogether, and if so, how?

Featured Answer

dublinbay z6 (KS)

7 years ago

Personally, I really like vinca. I just periodically thin it out--grab a handful and yank it out by the roots. Do it shortly after the area has been watered--it will pull out easily. No need to be "delicate" with it--just yank!

And yes, it will climb anything in sight, so trim or yank it out if it gets too close to something it might want to climb.

It is so charming with its lavender blue flowers in the spring. I wouldn't want to do without it. And the dark green leaves are nice in late summer when our hot sun is destroying everything else in my garden!

Kate

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Comments (7)

Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Privet is an invasive plant and would evenually be a problem for roses. The privet is going to grow upwards and expand outwards with time. They will steal the nutrients and water needed to grow many plants.

Vinca is invasive on it‘s own. It can take a couple of years to get going but once it does it is a lot of work to keep it under control. Mine was getting seriously out of control when I got rid of it. My daughter loved it but I was constantly chopping root to keep it out of the neighbors yard. When I dug it out there were some tap roots as thick as my wrist and it never stops spreading. Another of my neighbors wanted some pieces of it to plant around a tree. It spread in a circle 30 feet in 2 years. Unfortunately they got rid of theirs by throwing pieces in the woods where it has devoured acres of land. A rose doesn’t stand a chance in my opinion.
kitasei thanked Patty W. zone 5a Illinois
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
Vinca can be successfully managed.....the trick is to not let it get ahead of you :-) I am a bit surprised the vinca in the sunnier area is growing more aggressively. Vinca is a shade loving plant and generally exhibits weaker and sparser and more chlorotic growth in too much sun. At least it does here and our sun is not very intense, even in the middle of summer. Perhaps the watering and fertilizing required for the roses has enhanced its growth :-)

IME, vinca will quite easily grow up and into/through the stems/branches of other plants. So you will need to trim it back away from the base of other plants to prevent this and relatively frequently as well. If you are prepared to do this as often as necessary, then you can leave it in place. If you do not wish that much ongoing maintenance then I'd replace with something a bit better behaved.
kitasei thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
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Kristine LeGault 8a pnw
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
My neighbors vinca is a pain in my neck. I am constantly wacking it back but since I cant access the source it will just keep coming

I have a different kind of Vinca that is a pretty flowering plant.
kitasei thanked Kristine LeGault 8a pnw
mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
7 years ago
Just keep it from climbing up the roses, or anything else, and it will be fine.
kitasei thanked mad_gallica (z5 Eastern NY)
devsense
7 years ago
I have Vinca in a enclosed bed , I tried putting landscape roses but it really suffered so I transplanted . Vinca is pretty agressive so would need constant thining near the roses
kitasei thanked devsense
diane_nj 6b/7a
7 years ago
No. Some got into my rose bed, and I still see it pop up. I would pass.
kitasei thanked diane_nj 6b/7a