Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
[VIN-kah MY-nor]

Evergreen Perennial Vine-like shrub in the Apocynaceae Family
 

Periwinkle is an herbaceous perennial evergreen ground cover in the Apocynaceae (dogbane) family. Originally from Europe, its dainty blue-lavender flowers appear against the backdrop of luxurious dark green leathery foliage in spring and early summer and intermittently throughout the year. The plant tolerates high heat and close to full shade, but prefers full or partial sun, although its leaves can tend to yellow in full sun. Plant in moist, organic soils. When using as a groundcover, plant 8 inches apart for quick cover of smaller areas and 12 to 18 inches apart for large areas. While often used as a ground cover for large natural areas and around trees it grows quickly and aggressively rooting at the nodes and can become weedy.

 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 6 inches tall. 6 - 18 inches wide.
Growth Rate Moderate
Sun Exposure Full Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance - Medium
Zones 4a - 8b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Container, Deer Resistant, Dry Shade Tolerant, Evergreen, For a Shady Spot, Full Shade, Full Sun, Groundcover, Low Maintenance, Medium, Most Popular, Non-Allergenic, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Winter Interest, Yellow Foliage
Bloom Period Spring, can rebloom a bit in Summer
Flower Color Periwinkle blue
Foliage Color Dark Green
 

More Info from Experts

Commonly Planted with...

Japanese Spurge (Pachysandra); Hosta (Hosta); Lungwort (Pulmonaria); Bleeding Heart (Dicentra); Brunnera (Brunnera)

Photos of This with...

Yarrow, Snapshot Merlot Mix Snapdragon, Goat's Beard, Grey Birch, Whitespire Gray Birch, Eastern Redbud, Columbus Strain Eastern Redbud, Ruby Falls Eastern Redbud, Solanna Golden Sphere Tickseed, Golden Glory Cornelian Cherry Dogwood, Jeanne d'Arc Spring Crocus, Diamond Frost Spurge, Forsythia, Aureola Japanese Forest Grass, Lenten Rose, Grape Galaxy Lenten Rose, Hellebore, Leapfrog Foamy Bells, Autumn Frost Hosta, Komodo Dragon Hosta, Sum and Substance Hosta, Unique Panicle Hydrangea, Blue Mohawk Rush, Juniper, Ligularia Bottle Rocket, The Rocket Leopard Plant, Variegated Lily Turf, Gallery Red Lupine, Aurea Creeping Jenny, Star Magnolia, Apple/Crabapple, Indian Summer Flowering Crabapple, Walter's Siberian Crabapple, Vintage White Stock, Valerie Finnis Grape Hyacinth, Blue Magic Grape Hyacinth, Daffodil, Angel's Flute Daffodil, Polar Ice Small-cupped Daffodil, Tete-a-Tete Miniature Daffodil, SunGlow Yellow Bicolor Nemesia, Green Carpet Japanese Pachysandra, Shenandoah Switch Grass, Boston Ivy, Boldly Burgundy Geranium, Supertunia Vista Silverberry, Diablo Ninebark, Golden Flare Azalea, Alpine Currant, Blue Hill Wood Sage, Siberian Squill, Cup Plant, ColorBlaze Dipt in Wine Coleus, ColorBlaze Marooned Coleus, Catalina Pink Wishbone Flower, Tojen Toad Lily, Negrita Triumph Tulip, Orange Princess Tulip, Popsicles Purple Face Horned Violet, Spring Matrix Lavender Pansy,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Limited Availability

We try very hard to source exactly what you’d like, but sometimes growers run out of plants! While this variety is a great deal at the price shown, we know that it has limited availability. If you want the plant even if it might be more expensive, or in a different size or quantity -- after you place your order, just send us a quick note at help@northshoreplantclub.com. Then, we’ll try to get you some version of this from one of our growers. And if we can’t get it from anywhere, of course, we’ll send a refund!


Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!