Vinca minor 'Bowles' is a vigorous evergreen groundcover prized for its glossy dark green foliage and abundant violet blue flowers. Blooming in spring with scattered repeat flowering throughout summer it forms a dense mat that suppresses weeds and stabilizes soil. Well suited for shady areas, slopes, or beneath trees, this cultivar is noted for its larger more profuse blooms compared to typical periwinkle varieties.
Height & Spread: 4 - 6 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Spring with sporadic summer rebloom
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Adaptable to most well drained soils, including clay
Watering Needs: Moderate; benefits from occasional deep watering in dry periods
Deer Resistance: Deer resistant due to bitter tasting foliage
Native Status
Vinca minor is native to central and southern Europe but has naturalized widely in North America. Though not native, it is well adapted to temperate regions and widely used in traditional shade plantings.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Attracts spring flying butterflies such as Spring Azure and Eastern Tailed Blue with its early nectar.
Bees
- Provides early nectar to bumblebees and small native bees emerging from hibernation.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Space 12 - 18 in apart to allow quick coverage without overcrowding.
Landscape Placement:
- Ideal for underplanting trees, covering difficult shady banks, or trailing over stone walls where erosion control and evergreen groundcover are desired.
Companion Plants
- Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania Sedge) - Soft flowing texture and shade tolerance make it a perfect low input partner for vinca.
- Dryopteris erythrosora (Autumn Fern) - Adds coppery new growth and a bold vertical texture behind the mounding vinca.
- Heuchera villosa 'Autumn Bride' - Fuzzy lime green foliage and late summer blooms contrast nicely with the dark trailing form of periwinkle.
- Galium odoratum (Sweet Woodruff) - Whorled green leaves and fragrant white flowers spread gently through the shade alongside vinca.
- Hosta 'Blue Mouse Ears' - Petite blue toned foliage and tidy shape mirror vinca’s compact refined presence.