Vinca Minor 'Illumination' is a ground cover selection featuring striking gold centered leaves edged in deep green, creating bold contrast in shaded landscapes. Lavender flowers emerge in spring offering a splash of color amid the bright foliage.
Height & Spread: 4 - 6 in x 18 - 24 in
Bloom Time: Spring with possible sporadic rebloom
Light Requirements: Part shade to full shade
Soil Preference: Moist, well drained soil; tolerates clay and loamy conditions
Watering Needs: Moderate; appreciates consistent moisture in dry spells
Deer Resistance: Resistant to deer and moderately rabbit tolerant
Native Status
Derived from the European species Vinca minor, 'Illumination' is not native but is widely cultivated and adapted to ornamental garden use in temperate regions.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Butterflies
- Attracts early flying species such as Spring Azures during bloom period.
Bees
- Visited by small solitary bees and honeybees seeking early nectar.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations
- Space 12 - 18 in apart for best coverage and even growth in shade borders or containers.
Landscape Placement
- Effective in shaded woodland edges, beneath shrubs, or trailing from elevated containers where foliage color adds light and texture to darker garden corners.
Companion Plants
- Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' - Arches gracefully above ground covers with matching foliage tones and dangling spring blooms.
- Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost' - Brightens shade with silver veined leaves and blue spring blooms that echo Vinca’s flower color.
- Astilbe chinensis 'Vision in Red' - Provides plume like summer flowers and textured foliage in shade gardens.
- Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance' - Adds fine striped blades that mirror the variegation in Vinca foliage.
- Epimedium x rubrum - Offers delicate spring blooms and long lasting ground hugging foliage for mixed shade beds.