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Vinca difformis

intermediate periwinkle

a vigorous, prostrate evergreen sub-shrub with rooting stems bearing ovate, evergreen leaves, and short upright leafy stems with pale whitish-blue flowers 4cm across, in late winter and early spring

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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
5–10 years
Ultimate spread
1–1.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Poorly–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Blue White Green
Summer Green
Autumn Green
Winter Blue White Green
Position
  • Full shade
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

South–facing or North–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Apocynaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Matforming
Genus

Vinca can be evergreen subshrubs or herbaceous perennials, with simple, paired leaves and solitary, 5-lobed, salver-shaped flowers in the leaf axils

Name status

Correct

Plant range
N Africa & SW Europe

How to grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in all but the driest soils. Flowers best in full sun but very useful for shady areas. Can be invasive

Propagation

Propagate by division in spring or autumn and by semi-hardwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Rock garden
  • Ground cover
Pruning

Pruning group 6

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids

Diseases

May be susceptible to a rust

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