Greater & lesser periwinkle: planting, species and care
Both greater and lesser periwinkle are popular evergreen groundcover plants for any part of the garden.
Periwinkle plants make a beautiful, low-maintenance addition to your collection of herbs and spring flowers, especially along the edges of woodlands. Both greater and lesser periwinkle have similar requirements for planting and care, with only marginal differences. Periwinkle (Vinca) comes in many varieties, resulting in a plethora of colourful flowers to choose from. Read on to discover the difference between greater and lesser periwinkle and how to care for them.
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Periwinkle: origin and characteristics
Originally, greater periwinkle (Vinca major) and lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor) come from southern Europe but have since spread to Asia. While you can find both species in the UK, greater periwinkle is considered to be an invasive plant, whereas lesser periwinkle is more manageable and makes an excellent groundcover. The two periwinkle species belong to the dogbane family (Apocynaceae).
Periwinkle’s evergreen foliage brings life to the garden even in winter, when their beautiful flowers have withered. Both species are perennials that continuously grow new roots from their trailing stems, making them fantastic groundcovers. Bees and bumblebees adore periwinkle’s purple flowers, which have five petals and bloom between March and June. The plants produce little pollen but make up for it with an abundance of nectar, making them popular with both butterflies and wasps. Ants help disperse periwinkle seeds. Both greater and lesser periwinkle species contain a milky sap and are poisonous.
Greater periwinkle
Also known as creeping myrtle, greater periwinkle’s stems grow up to 1 m long. They creep along the ground, bearing glossy, dark green leaves. True to its name, greater periwinkle flowers are as large as 5 cm in diameter and the plant can reach a height of 30 cm. It can flower a second time in autumn. Greater periwinkle spreads quickly and can become invasive.
Lesser periwinkle
Spreading out even more than its counterpart, lesser periwinkle’s stems can reach 2 metres in length. It has shiny green leaves with a yellow underside. Lesser periwinkle, also known as lady’s flower and running myrtle, gets its name from its short height of around 15 cm and flowers that are just 2 to 3 cm in diameter.
Periwinkle species and varieties
There are many varieties of both greater and lesser periwinkle, each with varying characteristics ranging from flower colour to size. Nonetheless, lesser periwinkle comes in more variations than greater periwinkle.
Vinca minor varieties
- Vinca minor ‘Atropurpurea’: bright purple flowers, hardy
- Vinca minor ‘Anna’: blue flowers, excellent ground coverage
- Vinca minor ‘Gertrude Jekyll’: very hardy with white flowers
- Vinca minor ‘Josefine’: compact foliage with light blue flowers, hardy
- Vinca minor ‘Marie’: royal blue flowers, very hardy
- Vinca minor ‘Bowles’: large flowers and dense foliage, also known as ‘La Grave’
Vinca major varieties
- Vinca major ‘Alba’: white flowers
- Vinca major ‘Variegata’: leaves with cream margins
Planting periwinkle: location, time and method
Both periwinkle species can adapt to most environments. Lesser periwinkle prefers a sunny spot, whereas greater periwinkle thrives in shady or semi shady locations. Both species can cope with all light conditions, but more or less light will result in more or less flowers. They are happiest in humus-rich and nutrient-rich ground, such as sandy and loamy garden soils. Plant periwinkle under trees, where you can combine them with fern and grass companions. Place a barrier edging around the plant to limit its range, as periwinkle will quickly spread across the ground, making it hard to rake up leaves.
When planting periwinkle in spring, first loosen the soil and clear weeds, as this becomes nearly impossible after the plant is established. You can plant periwinkle later in the year, as long as you water it well.
If your garden soil lacks nutrients, is sandy or very clayey, use a high-quality substrate to improve the soil quality. Add the substrate, like our Plantura Organic All Purpose Compost, to the planting hole before planting. Our potting compost is peat-free and its loose structure allows it to easily absorb and retain water. Plant periwinkle in fresh soil, neither too wet nor too dry. Place the plant in the planting hole and fill with soil. Then gently press down the soil and water generously. Roughly five plants will fit in one square metre, so space the plants about 40 cm apart. You can plant lesser periwinkle plants a few centimetres closer. Keep greater periwinkle in small groups of 10 or less, while lesser periwinkle still thrives in colonies of up to 20 plants.
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Periwinkle as a groundcover: Both types of periwinkle are excellent groundcovers because their long trailing stems grow new roots from the nodes and spread like a carpet.
Tip: You can grow both periwinkles in pots if you want to limit their spread or showcase periwinkle’s trailing stems on your balcony. Regularly prune potted periwinkle and protect it with fleece or burlap in winter.
Greater and lesser periwinkle: care and maintenance
Periwinkle is a robust garden plant that does not require much care. During long dry spells, water plants in sunny locations. If you have nutrient-rich soil, do not fertilise for the first few years. In poor soils, apply a slow-release fertiliser such as our Plantura All Purpose Plant Food in spring to support the plant in the growing season. Do not fertilise periwinkle in winter.
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You only need to prune periwinkle if it is spreading too much. Trim as needed but leave some shoots and healthy buds on the plant, so it can resprout. Prune in spring to remove frost damage and encourage branching and bushy growth. Dig up the remaining roots with a gardening fork.
Overwintering
While greater periwinkle is hardy and can tolerate temperatures as low as – 17 °C, it can get frost damage. So, is lesser periwinkle hardy, too? In fact, lesser periwinkle can withstand even colder temperatures than its larger relative, braving up to – 28 °C outside. In regions with very cold, windy or sunny winters, overwinter the plant covered with mulch. This protects it from desiccation, which occurs when the plant loses water due to direct sunlight but is unable to replenish it from the frozen soil. In harsh conditions, periwinkle may shed and regrow its leaves in spring or even die back completely before resprouting come springtime.
How to propagate periwinkle
There are several ways to propagate periwinkle. You can easily make cuttings via layering, as periwinkle continuously produces new roots to anchor itself in the ground. Place the shoots in the desired direction and separate them from the parent once they have rooted.
Take green or semi-mature cuttings all year round by simply cutting off a shoot with some leaf nodes. Remove the lower leaves and plant the cutting in a pot with moist potting soil such as our Plantura Organic Herb & Seedling Compost. Our soil is ideal for young plants and seedlings, as its low nutrient content stimulates strong root growth. Place in a shady spot.
You can also propagate periwinkle by division. To do so, dig up the parent plant in spring and divide into the desired number of plants.
Is periwinkle poisonous?
Yes, both the lesser and the greater periwinkle species are poisonous, as they contain toxic alkaloids. When cutting periwinkle, wear gloves to avoid contact with its milky sap. Periwinkle plants are also poisonous to cats and dogs, so do not let them eat any part of the plant in large quantities.
- Perfect for herbs as well as sowing, propagating & transplanting
- For aromatic herbs & healthy seedlings with strong roots
- Peat-free & organic soil: CO2-saving composition
A beautiful alternative groundcover is silverweed (Potentilla anserina). It may not be evergreen but it will brighten up the garden with its vibrant yellow flowers. Learn how to plant and care for silverweed in our feature article.
