Periwinkle ( Catharanthus roseus ) is an evergreen recurrent in the dogbane family ( Apocynaceaespp . ) grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11 and develop as an annual elsewhere . It ’s also calledMadagascar periwinklein reference to its rural area of origin , although the plant life is now naturalized in tropic regions around the creation , let in the some destiny of the Southern U.S. In addition to a variety of way to exhibit it in the landscape painting , periwinkle can also be grown indoors .
Basic Characteristics
Foliage
Periwinkle has 2- to 3 - in - foresighted , ellipse - shaped , dark green foliage that seem polar on round , sturdy stems . The leave of absence have a glossy conclusion and are pinnate , mean the veins separate out on either side from the central stem turn in a way that resembles a feather . Space plants at least 12 and up to 24 inches apart , and periwinklewill form a dense ground cover2 to 3 feet tall with an equal bed covering .
Flowers
From early outflow through crepuscle , periwinkle grow exclusive , five - petaled blossom roughly 1 inch long and 1 1/2 inches wide . They pasture in color from mysterious pink to purpurate , red and white , depending on diverseness . The blossom may be small but theircontinuous bloominghabit gets the industrial plant point out , especially during raging atmospheric condition when many other plant life are no longer flowering .
Tip
Periwinkle is also have intercourse by many other common names , including vinca , cemetery industrial plant , old maid , brilliant middle , church service prime and ram goat uprise . However , this plantshould not be confused with lesser periwinkle(Vinca nipper ) , a European evergreen species also know as creeping Vinca minor that ’s grown as a ground book binding in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 8 .
Warning
red periwinkle secretes a blank milky latex paint sap when its stem are broken , which may cause a contact - supersensitised reaction in some citizenry . Also , even though alkaloids from periwinkle are used in the pharmaceutical industry to give rise chemotherapy drugs , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has sort out the plant as unsafe for human white plague . The industrial plant is also known to be toxic to guy , dogs and horse cavalry .
Growing Information
Culture
Periwinkle will grow inwell - drain , loamy , clay or sandlike stain , but does n’t care for extremely fertile soil . In fact , the plant often go bad if the dirt contain too much organic matter . While winkle enjoys a full day of Lord’s Day , it will also thrive in partial shade .
Unlike many yearbook , periwinkle is remarkablyresistant to drought and warmth . The industrial plant is susceptible , however , to root rot andVerticillium wilt , disease usually work on by overwatering . During the spring up season , weewee moderately just to bestow moisture to the top 2 column inch of territory during dry period , and avoid giving the plant " wet feet . "
Noteworthy Features
Suggested Uses
Outdoors
Plant winkle in beds and borders around introduction and tree for acolorful earth cover . It can also be planted in container , windowpane boxes and cling baskets , from which it will trail . The plant can be trained tosprawl over a garden wallor treillage .
Periwinkle pair well with other one-year or perennial bloom in bed or containers . Because of its low - grow status , it makes a full and colorful backdrop for various combinations of perennial flowers , shrubs and ornamental Gunter Wilhelm Grass .
Indoors
Periwinkle can begrown indoors as a houseplantor get indoors from the garden to overwinter . Just as the works can not survive exuberant moisture in the ground , guard duty against overwatering it as a houseplant . Make certain it ’s in a planer with drain holes . Also , localise the industrial plant on or near a windowpane where it will receive a few time of day of natural light each day .
Periwinkle Varieties
Apricot Delight
Dainty apricot - color flowers that morph into white at the edges and feature a cherry-red " heart " at the center describes Apricot Delight ( Catharanthus roseus’Apricot Delight ' ) . Like other Madagascar periwinkle , this variety will bloom most of the year in USDA zones 9 through 11 . Not only does this plant life tolerate drouth and heat , itcan outlast a clean frost .
Cora Cascade
A popular " spiller " and tag plant , Cora Cascade ( Catharanthus roseus’Cora Cascade ' ) is a hybrid that delivers vibrant crimson , reddish blue and deep pink blossom from spring through decline in USDA zone 11a through 12b . This cultivar isideal for containersand hanging baskets .
Periwinkle plant life in the Cora series are debate incursive in Texas , California , Hawaii and some part of the Southern U.S.
Titan Icy Pink
Titan Icy Pink ( Catharanthus roseus’Titan Icy Pink ' ) is a bicolor periwinkle that feature light pink flowers with a cryptic pinkish " middle " at the center . desirable for containers , beds and rock and roll gardens in USDA zones 10 and 11 , this variety has a mound habit andlarger bloomsthan other sort in this series .
