Good for use in firescaping. Trailing stems with smooth, evergreen leaves (to 1.5" long) root at the nodes as they go along the ground and quickly spread to form an attractive ground cover. Plant your vinca minor when temperatures are around 24 to 38 C (75 to 100 F). Leaves are simple, opposite, shiny, 2 inches long and taper at both ends. It has salvia-like flower spires that reach one to two feet high, but they're studded with fascinating snapdragon-like flowers with beautiful colorations in purple, white, or pink. Alternate Groundcovers To Pachysandra, A Boxwood Blight Carrier See Also: 13 Best Eucalyptus Companion Plants. 07613. This plant grows with leaves of different colors that can spread around your garden fast. These stand out because they have similar maintenance methods as the vinca, making it even easier to care for both without stressing too much. The stems root at the nodes as they go along the ground to form a dense carpet of lustrous foliage. The common periwinkle plant ( Vinca minor) is often spotted creeping down steep hillsides and banks, offering a green and growing effect in areas which might otherwise be bare. Water the vinca only when the surrounding soil becomes completely dry. The leaves of Vinca minor are smaller than those of Vinca major. When looking for companion plants for your vinca vine, look for plants that have similar growing needs. Shade clothes come in different degrees. Jessica Wrubel has an accomplished background as a writer and copy editor, working for various publications, newspapers and in public libraries assisting with reference, research and special projects. Vinca minor 'Bowles'. Check these Great Plant Combination Ideas with Vinca - Periwinkle, A Long-Lasting Summer Garden Idea with Marigold and Sage, A Great Summer Planting Idea with Mexican Sunflowers, Zinnia and Grasses, A Spectacular Summer Planting Idea with Dahlia, Zinnia, Chinese Aster and Ammi visnaga, A Cheerful Border Idea with Monarda, Clematis and Artemisia, A Terrific Duo to Try: Achillea and Festuca, 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, Deer, Drought, Rabbit, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil. Clemson Cooperative Extension Home & Garden Information Center. It has a medium growth rate and is typically planted in early spring; however, the hardy plant will tolerate being planted in the fall. Fertilizer gives vinca minor a boost, making its foliage a more brilliant green and may help produce more blooms. An amazing fact about the coleus is that it has no flowers, but its unique leaves still come in various colors. Ola spreads much more vigorously. Ive been on a mission to get rid of it for 10+ years. The best thing about dahlia is that it is pretty easy to grow. Blooms. Im sure Ive missed some, and I may not have used the updated genus/species names for all of these, but Im sure you can find several good candidates from this list. So whats the right place for Periwinkle? Their creeping, sprawling habit of setting down roots also makes vinca minor a good choice for slopes, hillsides, and other areas where rainfall and water cause erosion. These complement vinca well because they both need sunlight. Note this is the default cart. Ensure that you apply equal amounts of essential elements like nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus if you notice that your soil lacks these essential elements. And finally, just because a plant isnt on the states list of invasive doesnt mean it isnt a problem. Forms a mat up to 4-6 in. Also known as creeping myrtle or creeping vinca, periwinkle grows as a spreading shrub in USDA Zones 4 to 8. The plant is also perennial, so its going to serve you for a number of years. "Invasive" Ground Covers and the Case for Allowing Periwinkle Other names: Vinca minor 'Bowles' Blue', Vinca minor 'Bowles' Variety', Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety' , Vinca minor 'Bowles's Blue' . It can grow up to 10 feet long in a single season. These plants are related to sunflowers, zinnias, and even daisies, and even if these flowers look pretty similar, you will notice that the shape of their flowers is entirely different. It blooms in late spring and occasionally in summer and fall. Dry soil and drought tolerant. The warmer, the better. How to Space When Planting Vinca Minor | eHow However, Vinca major is less hardy and is, therefore, less often seen, especially in northern . Theyare deer-resistant, the flowers are rabbit-proof, and few insects eat them, so there is not much pest control to worry about. Upload files (optional) You can upload up to 9 images . Also, they are a good choice for a ground cover for an area with dry shade . How to Make Vinca Vines Grow Indoors | Hunker Sign up for our newsletter. Dahlia The stunning dahlia plant is home to Mexico and Central America and is known for its gorgeous flowers. Video-blogging about hoop dancing on her channel Susans Hoop Dance Journey, which launched in 2023. I have a beef with the inclusion of Periwinkle (Vinca minor) on my coops list of banned plants banned because theyre considered invasive (despite NOT being listed on theMaryland Invasive Plant list). Water deeply and keep the soil moist for a couple of months to give the roots time to develop; after that, only water when the soil is dry to 1 inch. Propagate by division in spring or autumn and by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer. Therefore, if your vine is not growing properly, consider fertilizing it. Don't despair if the area under your willow tree looks like it needs something to make it look more interesting. Hellebores, perennial geraniums, certain sedges and ferns, epemediums, sedum ternatum, and in moister conditions there are so many! Periwinkle plants are easily propagated using stem cuttings. It's appealing to gardeners and homeowners needing to cover areas of the yard as an alternative to grass. For example, you can plant white vincas with a burgundy eye alongside burgundy zinnias, or pair peach vincas with a red eye with dramatic wine-hued celosia plants. Hey, sometimes a patch of vinca is fine, but you are missing out on a palette of plants that can create a mixed and varied tapestry. What plants pair well with annual vinca? Grows in sun & shade. Large doses are rare due to the unpalatability of the plant, but can result in more severe reactions and should . DEAR GARDENER Vinca minor grows in partial sun, partial shade, and full shade. Indeed, the very fact that they grow so well can sometimes bea problem. SKU. To divide vinca minor, take these easy steps: Vinca minor will attract all the typical indoor and outdoor pests, including aphids, spider mites, scale, and whiteflies. Ola. Good cover for bulbs. Most commonly, the periwinkle you find in a garden center is Vinca minor. It has TheInvasive Plant Atlassays its invading natural areas throughout the Eastern U.S. Ive never seen one of these areas where the domestic plants have spread more than maybe a quarter mile down the path, but our climate might be too harsh for the invasives to really get going. Its mounding clumps of arching, grassy leaves gradually increase in size, never becoming invasive. Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. Plants that are invasive only along streams or in regions with mild winters can get banned from places where theyre no threat at all. 3 Common Vinca Companion Plants - Farmer Grows If anything, my complaint, echoed by other area gardeners, is that its not vigorous enough. As periwinkle plants grow, they have a knack for laying down roots wherever their stems come in contact with soil. Surrounded by concrete and asphalt in all directions, this invasive isnt going anywhere because it only spreads by runner, not by birds or wind. Vinca: A Flowering Plant That Is Perfect For Your Garden Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. An evergreen garden plant that covers ground well and is attractive all year, with blooms in late spring, is Geranium x cantabrigense St. This year it was calibrachoa Cherry Tarts. Azomite vs Dolomite Can They Be Interchanged? There are various varieties of this so that it can be grown as both an annual and a perennial. RANT REVIEWS How to Plant and Grow Periwinkle - Better Homes & Gardens Poison Control. They tolerate poor soils but would do better in well-draining soils. Given this, you might combine the vines with your vinca to enhance the appearance of your garden. They are nearly identical, but Vinca major is often called greater periwinkle and the smaller version is sold as common, or dwarf, periwinkle. Watering. Vincas love sunlight, just like the dahlias, so there wouldnt be a problem with them staying together in that aspect. Borne over a long period, they continue to flower intermittently throughout summer into fall and are valuable for enlivening dark areas. Provide high-humus soil that retains moisture. Also commonly called dwarf periwinkle and creeping myrtle.Genus name is from Latin meaning to bind or wind around in reference to the long, flexible stems that were used in wreath making.Specific epithet means smaller. The other species commonly found is Vinca major. While looking for good vinca companion plants, be careful not to settle for the wrong plants as they can become invasive around your vinca plant, suffocating it to death. Vinca Stem Canker. Prefers moist, humusy soils in part shade. So, if you live in an area with low temperature, coleus wont be a good option. It came to the U.S. from Europe in the 18th century and quickly took off, becoming popular for its fast growth, pretty flowers, and hands-off maintenance.