Vinca minor ('La Grave') 'BOWLES' VARIETY'

Periwinkle is a European native plant growing wildly in the woods of Central Europe to Caucasus. It is a prostrate, evergreen groundcover offering a long flowering period.

Pinwheel-shaped flowers of Bowles' Variety variety (La Grave) are 3cm wide, have 5 divided petals of blue-violet colour with prevailing blue shade. It flowers from mid spring continuously until midsummer while May and June flowering is supposedly most abundant.

Evergreen leaves are ovate, deep green, and glossy. It makes long shoots which are best trimmed to achieve a dense and compact mat with plentiful of flowers. Periwinkle is ideal in areas where it can be left grown on its own beneath taller trees or shrubs, not disturbing smaller and dwarf plants. If desired in a bed along with other plants keep it under control by hard pruning.

It will grow in almost any soil type apart from too dry. It flowers best in full sun if it is not left too dry. Filtered sun or partial shade around noon is ideal. Fully hardy to -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 25-04-2008.