Caring for Vinca Plants


Commonly known as periwinkle, plants of the genus Vinca are beautiful flowering plants that need semi-shade, moderate watering and universal soil. They do not require intensive care, making them great plants for beginners, although expert gardeners will keep them around due to their beauty. Their ornamental value is largely due to their intense blue flowers which can brighten up various outdoor and indoor spaces. While they can be used as groundcover, they are best kept in pots to avoid choking other plants. Learn more about the specifics of caring for vina plants with our periwinkle care guide from thedailyECO.
Characteristics of vinca plants
Before we look at the specifics of caring for periwinkle (Vinca spp.) plants, we should look at some of their characteristics. These help to determine what care they need:
- Vinca is a plant that grows as a shrub, but also as a creeping plant.
- They develop abundant foliage, widely used to form hedges in gardens. The lower part will also spread along the ground making it excellent for ground cover.
- The leaves are oval lanceolate in shape and bright green in color, although there are variegated cultivars that are pigmented from yellow to light green.
- They are also striking because they produce flowers that are 4 cm in diameter, which are blue and have five petals each. This is the most common color, but there are some that can be white or purple.
- There are two main species of vinca known as V. major and V. minor, but there are also others out there. They can vary in size. A common species known as Cape periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) was previously known as Vinca rosea, but it has been reclassified. It is similar to normal vinca, but is characterized by its pink flowers. There is also a cultivar of this species known as Polka dot periwinkle due to having a little pink spot in the center of their white flowers.
- Vinca is perennial in nature, meaning it does not lose its leaves with the passing of the seasons. The flowers do not appear during the winter, while some species do not develop them in autumn.
- It is native to Europe and Central Asia, but today it is found in many places around the world thanks to its ease of cultivation which we explain below.
If you would like to use our vinca plant care guide to grow your own, use the link below to purchase periwinkle seeds:

Vina light, temperature and location
When deciding on where to place your vinca plant, we need to consider the following:
- It is an extremely resistant plant in terms of climate. They can tolerate full sun, half shade and full shade, but they grow best in semi-shade. It is important to consider that in full shade they will not have many flowers. Discover the best partial-shade plants with our related guide.
- It also withstands extreme cold temperatures down to -4ºF/-20ºC, making it an excellent choice for temperate latitudes.
- It grows quite a bit, colonizing new spaces. If you want to contain it, it is best to put it in a pot to limit its growth.

Soil and fertilizer for vinca plants
Vinca is a plant that does not require very particular or fertile soils. It develops superficial roots, so we will need to ensure we have a good amount of substrate to contain them.
To allow the plant to develop its full potential, a universal soil substrate will be prepared consisting of equal parts of worm castings and peat. Add a handful of gravel, vermiculite or perlite to ensure the soil favors drainage.
It is recommended to apply fertilizer in mid-spring, every other year. Ideally use slow-release fertilizer. If a non-liquid fertilizer is used, the soil must be moistened to promote absorption. It is also recommended to apply compost as mulch once a year. This is especially beneficial for plants that are several years old.
Save money by using our DIY worm castings guide to make your own.

Vinca watering needs
Irrigation for vinca plants requires the following:
- When the vinca is in the juvenile stage it requires abundant watering.
- After two years of plant establishment, watering can be reduced to a frequency range from scarce to normal. This means biweekly watering should be sufficient.
- It tolerates drought very well, but during the summer it appreciates more frequent watering and will show their appreciation with more lustrous leaves.
- Something that is important when it comes to watering vinca is not to wet the leaves to avoid the appearance of powdery mildew, a disease caused by fungi.
Learn about other diseases which can affect your periwinkle with our article on treating chlorosis in plants.
How to prune a vinca
Since vinca grows as a bush without much form, it is recommended to prune it in the spring to prevent it from spreading too much. This will not only help to restrict it, but will also improve its long-term vigor. Cutting off any overhanging branches will be enough to keep it looking tidy.
Discover the different types of pruning techniques with our related guide.
How to propagate vincas
Vincas are easily propagated by cuttings, making a cut in the stem between two visible nodes. These are usually the ones that are lower down and in contact with the soil. The leaves are removed from the base of this stem so that it can be buried in the substrate. If you have it on hand, you can apply a little rooting liquid to the cut stem. It will develop roots underground and a new plant will form. It is advisable to cover these new plants with compost mulch. This method should be done in autumn.
This plant can also be propagated by division, where the plant is separated into two portions from the root. This technique has the advantage of maintaining the plant and allowing it to stay healthy. To do this, the soil is dug up a little to extract the plant. Be very careful not to damage the roots when separating the two fragments. This technique should be carried out in winter .
If several vincas are to be planted together, it is necessary to leave 12" (30 cm) of separation between them to take into account that they will grow quite a bit to the sides.
Now you know how to take care of vinca plants, you may want to read our peace lily care guide to learn more about what plants might suit your home.
If you want to read similar articles to Caring for Vinca Plants, we recommend you visit our Plant care and cultivation category.
- Buczacki, S. (1997). Caring for garden plants. Madrid: Hermann Blume Editions.
- Silva, R. (1985) Basic Gardening No. 1. Chile: Andrés Bello Publishing House.
- Royal Horticultural Society. (n.d.) Vinca.
https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/search-results?form-mode=true&query=vinca