Vinca minor and cvs. (Creeping myrtle, Lesser periwinkle)

Photo/Illustration: Mark Kane

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Botanical Name: Vinca minor and cvs. VIN-kah MY-nor

Common Name: Creeping myrtle, Lesser periwinkle Genus: Vinca

Creeping myrtle is a fast-spreading, 4- to 8-inch-tall, evergreen groundcover with shiny green leaves borne in pairs on long, arching stems. Star-like, 1-inch-wide blue flowers bloom for one month in spring. Cultivars include 'Bowles,' which blooms sporadically throughout the growing season, and variegated vinca, with creamy white-and-green leaves.
Noteworthy characteristics: Roots where stems touch the ground.
Care: Provide dry to moist soil in full sun or deep shade. Old growth may be cut back to about 4 inches high in early spring to stimulate new growth. New roots form where stems touch the ground.
Propagation: Divide in early spring or mid- or late autumn.
Problems: Leafhoppers, scale insects, aphids, leaf spot, and dieback.

Overview
User Reviews
Photos

Height	6 in. to 12 in.
Growth Habit	Runs
Growth Pace	Fast Grower
Light	Full Sun to Part Shade
Moisture	Dry to Medium
Maintenance	Low
Characteristics	Showy Flowers; Showy Foliage
Bloom Time	Early Spring; Late Spring; Spring
Foliage Color	Evergreen
Flower Color	Blue Flower; Purple/ Lavender Flower
Uses	Beds and Borders, Ground Covers
Style	Woodland Garden
Type	Perennials

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