Periwinkle is one of my favorite flowers out there simply due to its incredible versatility. This trailing plant looks amazing as the fillers in any kind of planter and even better as a groundcover in your backyard! And what’s even better is that it grows relatively well in almost any kind of zone. If I’ve convinced you to start growing periwinkle, take a look at this simple how-to guide today!
Plant Guide: Periwinkle
Grow Zone
Periwinkles grow best in zones 4-9. They can be grown outside of these zones, but keep in mind that they plant may not make it through cold winters or scorching summers.
Water And Sun Needs
Caring for Periwinkle is relatively easy as it thrives anywhere in partial sun or shade. Plants should be watered 1-2 times weekly, or as often as the first few inches of soil feel dry. You’ll find that once this plant is established, it really doesn’t need much from you for continued success.
Average Size
If there’s one thing you should know about this plant, it’s that it can grow to get infinitely wide! This plant spreads fast and makes a great ground cover. Due to its spreadable nature, this plant also makes for a great erosion control. If you’re worried about slopes eroding in your backyard, you can use Periwinkle to control the erosion. However, just because it can spread out over a large surface, doesn’t mean these plants grow very tall. They cap out around 6-12 inches.
Special Features
However, Periwinkle flowers are great for a number of reasons, not just being low maintenance or great ground cover. In fact, Periwinkle flowers also bloom in the spring, summer, and fall, providing gardeners everywhere with color all season long. Additionally, these beautiful flowers attract birds and butterflies, bringing pollinators to your garden.
How To Get Started
Plant your Periwinkle seeds ten weeks after the final frost in the area. Sow seeds in an area of the garden that gets a mixture of shade and sunlight. It loves acidic soil, so make sure you do a PH level test of the soil in your garden prior to planting.
When To Harvest
There is no edible harvest here, but you can expect to enjoy your blooms throughout the spring, summer, and fall months. These babies are long lasting!
Is vinca needs full sun?thanks
Both greater and lesser periwinkle will grow in full sun, but they prefer some shade. Vinca major prefers to grow in partial shade but will even tolerate deep shade. The light conditions in which vinca grows, however, affect the performance of the plant.