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Key characteristics

Family: Apocynaceae
Height: 6 to 12 inches tall
Width: Spreads vigorously via runners to form dense mats
Flower color: Purple-blue
Foliage color: Dark green with creamy white variegation
Bloom time: Spring to early summer
Light: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium; prefers moist, well-draining soil
Maintenance: Low; prune to control spread and remove old foliage
Growing zone: USDA zones 7 to 10
Wildlife: The flowers attract bees and butterflies

Groundcovers

Vinca major ‘Maculata’

Greater Periwinkle

Vinca major 'Maculata', commonly known as greater periwinkle, is a vigorous perennial prized for its glossy, variegated foliage and attractive blue-violet flowers, which bloom from spring to early summer and attract bees and butterflies. Native to Europe, North Africa, and southwest Asia, this cultivar of Vinca major is valued for its trailing habit, making it popular for ground cover in gardens and landscapes. It forms dense mats of evergreen foliage in mild climates, with leaves that are oval to lance-shaped and variegated with creamy-white margins.

Light

Full sun to part shade

Water

Medium; prefers moist, well-draining soil

Bloom time

Spring to early summer

Find this plant

Works well in

Woodland Gardens
Under Trees
Borders
Pollinator Gardens

Companion plants

Acorus · Skimmias · Astilbes · Blechnums · Carexes · Heucheras

Design tip

Use the variegated foliage to brighten shaded spaces while connecting larger shrubs and woodland perennials with a continuous carpet of color. Contrast the light leaf margins with darker evergreen foliage to create depth and lasting visual interest throughout the year.

Printable plant sheet (PDF)