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All media depicts mature plants.

'Bowles' Periwinkle Vine (Vinca)

PERENNIAL

Description

  • Useful flowering ground cover for shade.
  • Enjoy large 1"blue flowers in spring.
  • Glossy evergreen leaves look good year-round.
  • Deer and rabbit resistant.
  • Zones 4-9, part sun/shade, 8" tall x 18" wide at maturity.
Zone 4-9
Light part sun/shade
low

{% assign discount_amount = 0 %} {% if variant.price < variant.compare_at_price %} Sale {{- variant.price | minus: discount_amount | money | remove: ' ' -}}
{{- variant.compare_at_price | money | remove: ' ' -}} {% else %} {{- variant.price | money | remove: ' ' -}} {% endif %} Each
Total
{{ variant.price | times: variant.quantity | money | remove: ' ' }}
{% for option in product.options_with_values %} {% assign optionIndex = forloop.index0 %} {% assign position = forloop.index %}
{{option.name}}
{% assign sortedvalues = option.values %} {% if option.name contains 'Length' or option.name contains 'Width' or option.name contains 'Height' or option.name contains 'Depth' or option.name contains 'Thickness' or option.name contains 'Weight' %} {% assign sortedvalues = option.values | sort %} {% endif %} {% for value in sortedvalues %} {% assign inventory_quantity = 0 %} {% assign available = false %} {% assign optionVariant = false %} {% if product.options_with_values.size == 3 and optionIndex == 2%} {% for v in product.variants %} {% unless v.bogus %} {% if v.option1 == variant.option1 and v.option2 == variant.option2 and v.option3 == value %} {% assign optionVariant = v %} {% assign inventory_quantity = inventory_quantity | plus: v.inventory_quantity %} {% if v.available %}{% assign available = true %}{% endif %} {% endif %} {% endunless %} {% endfor %} {% elsif product.options_with_values.size == 2 and optionIndex == 1%} {% for v in product.variants %} {% unless v.bogus %} {% if v.option1 == variant.option1 and v.option2 == value %} {% assign optionVariant = v %} {% assign inventory_quantity = inventory_quantity | plus: v.inventory_quantity %} {% if v.available %}{% assign available = true %}{% endif %} {% endif %} {% endunless %} {% endfor %} {% else %} {% for v in product.variants %} {% unless v.bogus %} {% if v.option1 == value %} {% assign optionVariant = v %} {% assign inventory_quantity = inventory_quantity | plus: v.inventory_quantity %} {% if v.available %}{% assign available = true %}{% endif %} {% endif %} {% endunless %} {% endfor %} {% endif %} {% assign checked = "" %} {% if variant.options[optionIndex] == value%}{% assign checked = "checked" %}{% endif %} {% endfor %}
{% endfor %}
More Info on Plant Sizes

{% capture add_to_cart %}Neptune.cart.add({ id:{{ variant.id | json }}, quantity:{{ variant.quantity }}, properties:{ '_growingzone':['4a', '4b', '5a', '5b', '6a', '6b', '7a', '7b', '8a', '8b', '9a', '9b'] } }, '.atcprod-{{ variant.id }}', { quantity: {{ variant.quantity }}, image: '//www.greatgardenplants.com/cdn/shop/products/vinca-bowles-1.jpg?v=1609959952', title: 'Bowles Periwinkle Vine (Vinca)', option: 'One Quart' }); return false;{% endcapture %} {% assign discontinued = '' %} {% for tag in product.tags %} {% if tag contains 'discontinued' %} {% assign discontinued = 'true' %} {% endif %} {% endfor %} {% if variant.available %} {% else %} {% unless discontinued == 'true' %} Notify Me When Available {% endunless %} {% endif %}
{% if error %}
{{error.description}}
{% endif %}
View Detailed Plant Information
↓

Plant Spacing

Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:

bush distance

Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:

bush distance zigzag
white plant in hand icon

Hand-picked at our greenhouse

white shipped to door icon

Shipped to your door

Young plant icon

Arrives as young plant

background image

More Information

Description Bowles' Periwinkle Vine (Vinca minor) is a tough, rugged evergreen groundcover for hard to grow areas. Also known as vinca or myrtle, this periwinkle vine is known for its lavender flowers that bloom in spring, glossy foliage, and clump-forming habit- so it is more sedate in spreading. This shade-loving deer resistant perennial is drought tolerant once established. It can tolerate road salt, poor shallow soil, and seashore plantings where other groundcovers fail. It's perfect for gardeners of any level seeking an easy-care groundcover with a charming display of flowers.
Buying landscape plugs? Here is how much area they will cover:
  • 6" spacing of 32 landscape plugs covers 6 sq feet
  • 8" spacing covers 7.5 sq feet
  • 10" spacing covers 11 sq feet
  • 12" spacing covers 16 sq feet
 Details Botanical name: Vinca minor 'Bowles'
Common name: Periwinkle
Zone: 4 - 9
Sun exposure: Part-sun (4-6 hours sun), Shade (<4 hours sun)
Height x width: 6-8" x 18"
Flower color: Blue
Foliage color: Green
Season of Interest: Spring
Bloom time:Spring, summer
Features:Winter interest, suitable for slopes, ground covers, evergreens, dry soils, deer resistant, best for beginners
Uses: Alpine and rock, Container gardening, Edging, Erosion control or embankment, Ground cover, Massing, Naturalizing, Rain garden, Rock garden, Slopes, Small spaces, Under planting. How To Grow Soil: Prefers moist, well-drained, but tolerates a wide range of soils, even poor and sandy/dry if regularly watered during times of drought.
Light: Sun tolerant in cool northern zones. In hot summer areas, plant in dappled to deep shade.
Water: Best with regular water - weekly, or more often in extreme heat. Tolerates dry shade once plants are established.
Spacing: 12 to 18 inches apart. In two to three years, the Vinca will completely cover the planting bed. Plant 6" apart and by the end of the first year the bed will be completely covered.
Fertilizing: Very adaptable and can survive in any well-drained soil. Mulch in between the plants when first planting. This is important to not only retain water, but to also keep the weeds out. After the Vinca minor fill in the area, you will not need to mulch any more.
Winterizing: Add at least 4 inches of loose organic mulch, such as leaf compost in November to winterize your vinca. For greater protection from frost, and snow, completely cover the foliage in 5 to 6 inches of loose leaves.
Maintenance & Pruning: Stems root into the ground readily, and the new plants that form may be easily moved to a new location in spring or early fall. Mowing the patch low after blooming every couple of years will help to keep it thick and weed resistant.

Ideas & Inspiration

9 Best Perennial Ground Covers for Shade

Often times shady spots are neglected in gardens, especially tough-to-fill sites under trees, shrubs, or structures. There are so many plants that can do the job, but here are 9 of our favorites!

Learn more

Customer Reviews

Based on 23 reviews
78%
(18)
4%
(1)
4%
(1)
4%
(1)
9%
(2)
M
M. (Illinois)
Periwinkle

I've ordered from Great Garden Plants before and I've never been disappointed! I requested my ship date for April 18th and they arrived April 19th!!!! I was able to plant them immediately and on a day when we're going to get a good rain. The plants were packaged safely and arrived healthy. Couldn't ask for a more perfect situation! I ordered periwinkle last year and decided I needed a couple more plants (too impatient to see it spread). The picture is from what I planted last year.

User picture
B
B.Y. (Arizona)

'Bowles' Periwinkle Vine (Vinca)

J
J. (Missouri)
(Some) Periwinkles Managed to Survive!

I purchased ten of the Bowles Periwinkle in September 2023 along with a much larger order of Pachysandras.

I thought most of the Periwinkle died and filed a partial claim. In 2024, I thought they were all dead. But I managed to spot at least three of the ten which survived. I need to weed that area and hopefully, they will expand.

I should get some more and help them along.

We’re sorry you’re having trouble with your plants! Our fall guarantee covers plants received after September 1 until May 2025, but we cannot be responsible for anything outside of this time frame. Please send your order number and pictures of your plants to claims@greatgardenplants.com so that our experts can provide some assistance. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee

C
C.S.

Arrived in great shape, easy to plant, thriving

D
D.D. (Wisconsin)
Vinca

Great plants! All the plugs came very healthy. Excited for next spring!

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