In a hanging basket, on a wall, or in a garden, periwinkle forms a beautiful cascade of flowers and foliage, occasionally visited by bees, birds, butterflies and beetles. Periwinkle is also a low maintenance plant that doesn’t require a lot of water to thrive, making it a welcome addition to landscapes in hot areas. Due to the trailing habit of some varieties, periwinkle can also become an invasive plant in some areas.

Description

Periwinkle is a flowering plant belonging to the dogbane family, Apocynaceae and genus Vinca. It grows brittle stems that form branches leading to a mound of green leaves and colorful flowers in shades of white, pink or purple.

It keeps in bloom as long as the weather is warm or hot.

Scientific name: Catharanthus rosesus

Common name: Periwinkle, vinca, Madagascar periwinkle

Mature plant size: 1 to 2 ft. high, 1-2 ft. wide

USDA hardiness zones: 9B through 11

Growing Periwinkle from seeds.

Site selection: Periwinkle will grow in almost any soil type as long as it is well drained. It can tolerate sand, loam, clay, acidic and slightly alkaline soil. The area should have access to full sunlight for proper flowering.

Planting: Prepare your garden or container and plant periwinkle seeds with spacing of 12 to 18 inches. This is to provide space for plants to spread. Water lightly.

Seeds will germinate in 7 to 10 days. Plants will take 6 to 8 weeks to form a mass of foliage and flowers after sowing seeds.

Care for Periwinkle

Periwinkle does not need a lot of care, only water lightly during dry seasons.

There are no pests and diseases of concern.