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 CharacteristicsRoots where stems touch the ground.

CareProvide 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.

PropagationDivide in early spring or mid- or late autumn.

ProblemsLeafhoppers, scale insects, aphids, leaf spot, and dieback.