Caring for a Rosy Periwinkle Plant

Sunlight and Soil

• Rosy periwinkle requires well-drained, dry soil and plenty of bright sunlight. If you live in a damp climate, at least six to eight hours of full sunlight per day is critical, as damp soil and lack of air circulation fosters diseases that often kill the plants. In hot, dry climates, rosy periwinkle tolerates partial shade.

Water and Fertilizer

• Generous irrigation is beneficial for many blooming plants, but too much water shortens the life of rosy periwinkle. Keep the soil lightly moist until the plant is established and you can see healthy growth. After that time, irrigating two or three times during the summer is adequate. Although fertilizer isn't required, young plants benefit from a light application of a general purpose liquid or granular fertilizer. Apply fertilizer according to the recommendations on the container.

Uses

• Rosy periwinkle trails gracefully over the side of a hanging basket or cascades over a rock wall. The colorful blooms are also attractive planted along a walkway, filling in empty spaces in a perennial garden or adding contrasting color between spring-blooming daffodils or tulips. Because the plant is grows quickly, it makes an effective ground cover, particularly in a sunny, dry area or in difficult areas where most plants won't grow.

Disease

• Rosy periwinkle is a sensitive plant, prone to a number of diseases. Too much irrigation or the arrival of summer rainfall often causes the plant to mildew and the roots to rot. Rosy periwinkle is also prone to other moisture-related diseases such as fusarium wilt and blight. While proper care may help to prevent problems, disease is often inevitable. In most climates, rosy periwinkle is short-lived and likely to provide blooms for no more than three months.