Plant encyclopedia›greater periwinkle

greater periwinkle

Also known as: band plant; creeping myrtle; cut-finger; flower of death; grave myrtle; ground myrtle; large periwinkle; quater; sorcerer's violet

a vigorous evergreen sub-shrub forming a clump of erect stems bearing glossy ovate leaves and solitary violet-blue flowers 4cm wide in the leaf axils, with long rooting sterile stems making effective ground cover

Scientific classification

Species: greater periwinkle (Vinca major)
Genus: Vinca
Family: Apocynaceae

Information to be completed
Toxicity: Herbaceous Perennial · Shrubs
Plant type: 0.1-0.5 metres
Height: 1.5-2.5 metres
Spread: Evergreen
Foliage: Matforming
Habit: Spring · Summer · Autumn
Season of interest: Full shade · Full sun · Partial shade
Sunlight: Information to be completed
Ideal temperature

greater periwinkle pictures

Distribution of greater periwinkle

Distribution map

Mediterranean

Information to be completed

Culture

Information to be completed

Toxicity

Information to be completed

Quick identification of greater periwinkle

Information to be completed

greater periwinkle care guide

Regular light watering, keep soil damp not waterlogged
Watering: Full shade · Full sun · Partial shade
Sunlight: Information to be completed
Ideal temperature

Watering

Regular light watering, keep soil damp not waterlogged

Fertilizing

Balanced plant food every month spring to mid autumn

Pruning

Shorten last year's flowering stems to one or two buds from the older woody framework. Remove thin, weak and dead shoots. Prune in early to mid-spring as growth resumes; avoid winter pruning that exposes new shoots to frost.

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or autumn and by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer

Growing

Easy to grow in all but the driest soils. Flowers best in full sun but very useful for shady areas. Has potential to become a nuisance if left unchecked

More growing and care information →