Vinca minor f. alba 'Alba Variegata' (v)

RHS Plant Profile

lesser periwinkle 'Alba Variegata'

Synonyms

Vinca minor 'Aureovariegata Alba'
Vinca minor f. alba 'Alba Aureovariegata'

Shrubs

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A mat-forming evergreen shrub to 20cm tall, with trailing, rooting shoots and opposite pairs of glossy leaves bearing irregular yellow variegation. From mid-spring to late summer it produces pure white flowers to 3cm across

Position

Full shade, Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 2–5 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full shade Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H6

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Apocynaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: 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: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any but very dry soil, in full sun (for best flowering) to partial shade. May have the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well

Propagation

Propagate by division or semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds
Ground cover
Underplanting of roses and shrubs

Pruning

To restrict growth, cut back hard in early spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to rust diseases