Periwinkle (Vinca major) is a fast growing herbaceous perennial groundcover with evergreen foliage and pretty blue flowers. While this can seem like a good thing initially, an established periwinkle bed can easily become a nightmare! The arching stems can reach about 12" in height before falling over and rooting where they touch the ground. The flowers are blue-violet (like the crayon), funnel shaped with five petals and about 2" across. Unless you hack it down periodically, periwinkle flowers profusely all spring and sporadically throughout the summer. All periwinkles come from Europe, central Asia and northern Africa; vinca major is native to France and Italy, like our common garden snail. Periwinkle seems to grow equally well in partial shade or sun, and thrives in almost any soil. Apparently all the vincas are poisonous if ingested.
To learn more about other plants that grow in our area, visit our Town Flora page.
