Overview
Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety' is a garden plant in the genus Vinca, part of the Apocynaceae family. It typically grows around 0.4 metres tall.
About
Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety' is a trailing, evergreen subshrub prized for forming a low, spreading mat by rooting along its stems. Its glossy, leathery leaves remain through winter and its solitary, five-lobed flowers appear from May to September. The plant commonly roots at nodes to create large clonal colonies and can occasionally scramble to about 40 centimetres high. It does not twine or climb.
About the genus
Vinca is an Old World genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae. The English name periwinkle is shared with the related genus Catharanthus. Some Vinca species are cultivated but have also spread invasively.
Wikipedia contributors, "Vinca", CC BY-SA 4.0 — Vinca
In the garden
Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety' belongs to the genus Vinca in the Apocynaceae family and is native to central and southern Europe. As a trailing subshrub it spreads across the ground, rooting along its stems to form extensive clonal patches; stems may scramble up to roughly 40 centimetres but the plant does not twine. Flowers are produced from May to September and are typical of the species, with solitary, five-lobed corollas. Establishment relies on allowing stems to make contact with soil so they can root; spacing plants to permit lateral spread speeds ground cover formation. Because it spreads by rooted runners, place it where a spreading habit is wanted or plan for regular edge maintenance to keep runners from overrunning paths and beds. The evergreen leaves provide year-round cover while the flowering period runs through late spring and summer. Use Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety' where a persistent, low-growing cover is required and where its habit of producing rooting stems is acceptable. Check the margins periodically and lift or pinch back runners that encroach onto paving or adjacent planting to retain a neat outline; the plant’s propensity to root at nodes is the key management point to watch.
Plant details
Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety' size, habit and characteristics
- Height
- 0.4 metres
Frequently asked questions
How big does Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety' grow?
Vinca minor 'Bowles's Variety' reaches a height of 0.4 metres.
