Periwinkle Planting Distance

Characteristics

• Common periwinkle is a perennial that can be used to carpet large areas of the lawn. Not to be confused with Vinca rosea, or annual periwinkle, the common periwinkle will return to the yard year after year, forming progressively larger mats of glossy, dark-green leaves and clusters of 1-inch lavender-blue flowers that bloom for 4 to 6 weeks each spring. Common periwinkle grows best in USDA hardiness zones 4 through 7, but can be grown farther south with plenty of moisture and shade. Mature plants generally reach 2 feet in height and width.

Planting

• Plant periwinkle cuttings or seedlings in an area where they'll be shielded from the sun, and place the plants at least 10 inches apart. Spread mulch evenly over the ground between the plants to suppress weed growth, and keep the seedlings well-watered until they begin to display obvious signs of development. For the sake of economy, seedlings can be spaced up to 2 feet apart, but in this case it will take several years for the plants to develop into a thick, full carpet, and additional weed-control measures will be required in the interim. To more quickly create a thick blanket of cover, seedlings should be spaced 8 to 10 inches apart.

Uses

• Periwinkle is a shade-loving plant. Use it to beautify difficult sites and add color to dark corners and shadowy spaces. The common periwinkle flourishes when placed under the branches of shallow-rooted shade trees such as maple and beech. The eye-catching blooms also look elegant when blanketing the ground beneath shrubs, bushes, bulbs and perennial flower beds.

Warning

• Common periwinkle is a robust, vigorous plant that rapidly pulls itself across the lawn, taking root as it goes, and this ability to quickly cover the soil with a dense blanket of foliage can make periwinkle vines seem like a bit of a pest. To keep wayward stems from taking root in areas where they're not welcome, trim the plants at least once a month, cutting back any invasive runners.