Periwinkle care — light, water, toxicity and hardiness
Periwinkle (Vinca minor) wants partial shade and a drink about every 10 days once established. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. It is toxic to pets — worth keeping out of reach.
| scientific name | Vinca minor |
|---|---|
| family | Apocynaceae |
| category | vine |
| plant type | perennial |
| light | partial shade |
| water cadence days | 10 |
| mature height cm | 15 |
| min zone | 4 |
| max zone | 9 |
| frost tolerant | true |
| toxic to pets | true |
| toxic to humans | true |
| edible | false |
How often should I water Periwinkle?
Evergreen groundcover; invasive in woodlands.
Who eats it
Palatable to browsing animals such as deer: low. Palatable to grazing animals: low. Palatable to people: no. USDA records its toxicity as moderate.
What it needs
Its shade tolerance is low. Its moisture use is low. Its drought tolerance is medium. It wants at least about 30 inches of rain a year. Above roughly 60 inches of annual rain it struggles. It tolerates soil down to pH 5.5. It tolerates soil up to pH 7.7. Its fertility requirement is medium. Adapted to coarse, sandy soils: yes. Adapted to medium, loamy soils: yes. Adapted to fine, clay soils: yes. It needs at least 130 frost-free days. Its salt tolerance is low. Its tolerance of chalky soil is medium. Its fire tolerance is high. Fire resistant: yes. It has been recorded down to -33°F. It suppresses neighbours chemically: no.
How it grows
It grows as a stoloniferous form. Its growth rate is moderate. Its lifespan is long. It puts on most of its growth in spring and summer. It spreads vegetatively at a moderate rate. It resprouts after damage: yes. Coppices: no. At maturity it reaches about 0.3 feet. Its roots go down at least 8 inches. Its shape is prostrate. It holds its leaves through winter: yes.
What it looks like
It blooms in early summer. The flowers are blue. Conspicuous in flower: yes. The foliage is dark green. The foliage texture is coarse. Fall colour: no. The fruit persists on the plant: no. The fruit is conspicuous: no.
Growing more of it
Propagated by seed: no. Propagated by cuttings: no. Propagated by container: yes. Propagated by bare root: yes. Propagated by bulb: no. Propagated by corm: no. Propagated by tubers: no. Cold stratification required: no. Commercial availability: routinely available.
Source: Drafted from US Cooperative Extension horticulture guidance; pending HUMAN-05 review (issue 280) · ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List · 2026-09-02