Vinca - Definition and Overview

Periwinkle is a genus of four species of evergreen subshrubs in the family Apocynaceae, native to Europe, northwest Africa and southwest Asia. They have slender trailing stems 1-2 m long but not growing more than 20-40 cm above ground; the stems frequently take root where they touch the ground, enabling the plant to spread widely. The leaves are opposite, simple broad lanceolate to ovate, 1-9 cm long and 0.5-6 cm broad.

The flowers, produced through most of the year, are salverform (like those of Phlox), simple, 2.5-7 cm broad, with five usually violet (occasionally white) petals joined together at the base to form a tube.

Two species, the Small Periwinkle V. minor and the Large Periwinkle V. major, are very popular plants in gardens, grown for dense evergreen ground cover and their delicate violet flowers.

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