Vinca major
Common name:
Large Periwinkle
Pronunciation:
VING-ka MAY-jor
Family:
Apocynaceae
Genus:
Type:
Broadleaf
Native to (or naturalized in) Oregon:
No
- Evergreen ground cover, 12-18 inches (30-46 cm) tall, spreading. Leaves opposite, 2.5-7.5 cm long, entire, broad-base, nearly heat-shaped, glossy dark green. Flowers solitary, lavender-blue, 3.8-5 cm long, larger than the more common V. minor.
- Part shade to shade. Some say it tolerates more sun than V. minor, others say less. It certainly does well in the shade on moist, well-drained soil.
- Hardy to USDA Zone (6) 7 Native to southern Europe and western Asia. Several cultivars differ in leaf shape and color (variegated) and flower color (white, bluish purple, and reddish purple).
- major: a reference that its leaves are larger than those of V. minor.
- Oregon State Univ. campus: southwest side of Ag. Strand Hall.