# Vinca Periwinkle (*Vinca minor*) Vinca Periwinkle is a small, evergreen plant with pretty purple flowers. It grows low to the ground and is great for adding color to gardens. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 40 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Common Periwinkle, Creeping Myrtle ![Vinca Periwinkle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/20130421Vinca_minor1.jpg&width=800) Photo: AnRo0002, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:20130421Vinca_minor1.jpg) ## Appearance The Vinca Periwinkle has glossy, dark green evergreen leaves that grow densely on trailing stems. Its five-petaled, pinwheel-shaped flowers are typically a striking lavender-blue, though cultivars can be white or purple. It forms a lush, low-growing mat, visually distinct from upright herbaceous plants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Gentianales - **Family:** Apocynaceae - **Genus:** Vinca ## Interesting facts - Its name 'Vinca' comes from a Latin word meaning 'to bind,' for its trailing stems! - People once planted it in graveyards because it was believed to symbolize everlasting life! - Some varieties can even produce cool, double-layered flowers, like tiny purple pom-poms! - This plant can stay green all winter long, even under snow, thanks to its tough leaves! ## Special abilities - **Ground Hugger:** Vinca Periwinkle can spread quickly with creeping stems that root as they grow, helping it cover ground and outcompete weeds. - **Evergreen Shield:** Vinca Periwinkle has tough, glossy leaves that stay green all year, protecting the soil from erosion and retaining moisture. - **Shade Survivor:** Vinca Periwinkle can thrive in deep shade where many other plants struggle, using its broad leaves to capture dim light. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-15 cm - **Spread:** 60-90 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring_to_early_summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Two-spotted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/two-spotted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus bimaculatus*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** Spanish Slug (*Arion vulgaris*) — grazes on its leaves ## Traits - [Groundcover](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/groundcover): Groundcover plants are low-growing vegetation that spreads horizontally to cover the ground, often suppressing weeds and preventing soil erosion. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. ## Collections - [Flowers](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/flowers) - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Enjoy looking at Vinca flowers but avoid touching or eating them. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Vinca Periwinkle? Count the petals where you can, then compare the flower's center, its symmetry, how the blooms are grouped and the leaves below. Color varies between garden varieties and shifts with the light. Flower Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Vinca Periwinkle? 10-15 cm ### How wide does Vinca Periwinkle spread? 60-90 cm ### How big are the flowers on Vinca Periwinkle? 2-3 cm ### When does Vinca Periwinkle bloom? Spring_to_early_summer ### Is Vinca Periwinkle edible? No ### Is Vinca Periwinkle toxic? Mild ### What is Vinca Periwinkle's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Ames Nowell State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ames-nowell-state-park) — Massachusetts, US · State Park - [Awbury Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/awbury-arboretum) — Pennsylvania, US · Botanical Garden - [Bald Eagle State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/bald-eagle-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Buchanan State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/buchanan-state-forest) — Pennsylvania, US · Forest - [Cedar Brook Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cedar-brook-park) — New Jersey, US · Park - [Center Square/Hudson–Park Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/center-square-hudson-park-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District [View all places to see Vinca Periwinkle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/vinca-periwinkle) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Vinca Periwinkle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/vinca-periwinkle)