Types of Periwinkle Flowers
The periwinkle flower, often known by its botanical name, Vinca, is a truly charming addition to any garden. Cherished for its continuous, star-like blooms, vibrant colours, and reliable evergreen foliage, periwinkle is incredibly popular in gardens, hanging baskets, and ground cover borders.
This comprehensive guide will explore the different varieties, colours, and unique features of the periwinkle family, helping flower enthusiasts and gardeners alike find the perfect bloom to enhance their outdoor spaces.
What Are Periwinkle Flowers?
The term "periwinkle flower" can refer to plants from two related but distinct genera: Vinca and Catharanthus. While both are commonly called periwinkle, they serve different horticultural purposes and thrive in different environments.
The traditional periwinkles are Vinca minor (Dwarf Periwinkle) and Vinca major (Greater Periwinkle). These flowers are classic groundcover plants native to Europe.
Vinca minor is a smaller, more contained plant ideal for covering small areas, while Vinca major is larger and more vigorous, making it better for quickly covering large slopes or borders.
Both are perennial and renowned for their glossy, dark-green leaves and characteristic five-petalled blue-purple flowers that appear in spring.
The third and increasingly popular group is the Catharanthus roseus, commonly known as Madagascar Periwinkle. Unlike the Vinca species, which are often used as groundcover, Catharanthus varieties are typically grown as annuals in cooler climates (but are perennial in tropical zones like Singapore). These blooms are prized for their prolific, vibrant blooms and have a long history of use in traditional medicine.
Why Periwinkle Flowers Are Popular
One of the greatest appeals of the periwinkle, especially the Catharanthus varieties, is their ability to produce continuous blooms throughout the growing season. They reliably provide vibrant colour from late spring right through to the first frost, ensuring your garden maintains its cheerful look for months on end.
Furthermore, the periwinkle is a dream for hands-off gardeners. Once established, both Vinca and Catharanthus require minimal pruning or fuss. They are generally resistant to most pests, reducing the need for costly chemical intervention.
The periwinkle family is also famously heat and drought-tolerant. The Madagascar Periwinkle, in particular, thrives in hot, sunny spots where other bedding plants would quickly fade. This resilience makes it an invaluable plant for reliable colour, even through the hottest part of the year.
From a design perspective, periwinkles also offer immense flexibility. Vinca minor and Vinca major are renowned as excellent, quick-spreading groundcovers that suppress weeds. Meanwhile, the bushy Catharanthus varieties are perfect for adding bursts of colour to hanging baskets, window boxes, and annual borders.
11 Types of Periwinkle Flowers
The periwinkle family offers a wide range of sizes, colours, and habits. Here are eleven popular and distinctive varieties across the three main groups:
Vinca Minor Varieties (Dwarf Periwinkle / Creeping Periwinkle)
1. Bowles Variety Periwinkle
This popular cultivar of Vinca minor is distinguished by its larger, deep lavender-blue flowers compared to the standard species. It forms a dense, attractive mat of foliage and is highly valued for its ability to suppress weeds effectively. It is a reliable choice for planting under trees or in shaded border areas.
2. Atropurpurea Periwinkle
The Atropurpurea variety stands out due to its unique flower colour. It produces blooms in a striking, rich reddish-purple or burgundy wine hue, offering a beautiful alternative to the classic blue. Its dark green leaves provide a perfect, dramatic contrast to the deep flower colour, making it ideal for adding intensity to a planting scheme.
3. Alba Periwinkle
As the name suggests, the Alba variety is treasured for its pure white flowers. These crisp, star-shaped white blooms stand out elegantly against the backdrop of dark, glossy evergreen leaves. Alba is often used to lighten shaded areas and provides a beautiful, clean look when planted en masse.
4. Azurea Periwinkle
This Vinca minor variety is known for producing flowers in a vibrant, almost sky-blue colour, leaning towards true blue tones more so than the typical lavender-blue. Azurea is perfect for injecting a cool, bright splash of colour into the garden, and its dense growth provides excellent ground coverage.
Vinca Major Varieties (Greater Periwinkle)
5. Variegata Periwinkle
Perhaps the most popular of the Vinca major cultivars, Variegata features leaves edged with creamy white or pale yellow margins. This foliage provides year-round interest and contrast, even when the blue flowers are not present. Its trailing nature makes it excellent for hanging baskets and window boxes.
6. Maculata Periwinkle
The Maculata variety is distinctive for the yellowish-white blotches or markings found in the centre of its leaves, rather than just on the edges. The contrasting markings and rich green make this a superb foliage plant. It produces the characteristic large, violet-blue flowers and trails beautifully over walls.
7. Rubra Periwinkle
The Rubra cultivar of Vinca major is known for its blooms with a unique reddish-purple or deep mauve tone. This warm shade offers a slight departure from the standard cool violet-blue, making it a wonderful choice for gardens requiring warmer colour accents alongside its attractive, large foliage.
Catharanthus Roseus Varieties (Madagascar Periwinkle)
8. Pretty in Pink Periwinkle
This Catharanthus variety is celebrated for its dense, mounding habit and its profusion of large, vibrant pink flowers. It's extremely heat-tolerant and makes a magnificent statement in containers or as bedding, delivering consistent, strong pink colour throughout the summer months.
9. Pacifica Mix Periwinkle
The Pacifica series is highly popular for its vigorous, upright growth and large flowers in a wide range of contrasting colours, including white, pink, rose, and scarlet, often with contrasting eyes. This variety is perfect for gardeners who want a wide range of colours from one seed mix.
10. Jams 'n' Jellies Blackberry Periwinkle
This striking cultivar is known for producing blooms in an unusual and dramatic deep, almost black-purple or rich, dark blackberry hue. The colour is highly sought after for creating modern, sophisticated arrangements and adding visual depth to containers.
11. Titan Vinca Series
The Titan series is renowned for having some of the largest flowers available in the Catharanthus genus. These plants are exceptionally robust and offer a dense, uniform, and slightly spreading habit, ensuring maximum flower coverage in garden beds and baskets.
Medicinal Significance
Beyond their ornamental value, some members of the periwinkle family possess historical and modern medicinal importance. The Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), in particular, has been used in traditional medicine for centuries in various cultures to treat conditions ranging from diabetes to high blood pressure.
More significantly, pharmacological research in the mid-20th century identified several potent alkaloids within the Catharanthus plant, specifically vinblastine and vincristine. These compounds have proven invaluable in modern cancer-related pharmaceutical research. Today, they are key components in chemotherapy treatments for various cancers, including Hodgkin's lymphoma and childhood leukaemia.
Cultural & Symbolic Meaning
The traditional Vinca periwinkle holds deep symbolic meaning, often reflecting its resilience and endurance. Historically, it was believed to symbolise a lasting bond of loyalty. Due to this enduring symbolism, the periwinkle is popular in cottage gardens and frequently used in memorial landscaping to symbolise a love or memory that persists over time. In parts of Europe, it was sometimes woven into garlands, underscoring its historical importance as a flower of sentiment and fidelity.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many types of periwinkle flowers are there?
The common name "periwinkle" generally refers to plants from two main genera: Vinca and Catharanthus. There are two main species of Vinca (minor and major) and one main species of Catharanthus (roseus). Within these, there are hundreds of distinct cultivars bred for varying colours, sizes, and habits.
Is periwinkle the same as vinca?
Yes, in gardening terms, periwinkle is the common name for the genus Vinca, which includes Vinca minor and Vinca major. However, the term is also applied to the similar-looking Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus), which is botanically a different genus but shares the common name due to visual similarities.
What colours do periwinkle flowers come in?
Traditional Vinca flowers primarily come in shades of blue, purple, lavender, and white. The Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus) offers a much wider range, including vibrant pinks, reds, purples, whites, and sometimes bi-colours with contrasting eyes.
Can periwinkle grow indoors?
Yes, Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus) can be grown indoors, particularly in areas with limited sun, but it requires plenty of bright, indirect light and a consistently warm temperature. The Vinca groundcovers are generally better suited for outdoor use.
Is periwinkle a ground cover plant?
Yes, the Vinca species (minor and major) are highly valued as classic groundcover plants. They feature a dense, trailing growth habit that effectively suppresses weeds and covers slopes. The Catharanthus species are generally bushy and upright, and are used more for bedding.
Are periwinkles easy to maintain?
Yes, periwinkles are renowned for being exceptionally low-maintenance. They are highly tolerant of both heat and drought, require little feeding or pruning, and are generally resistant to common garden pests and diseases, making them ideal for busy gardeners.
Are periwinkle flowers medicinal?
Yes, specifically, the Madagascar Periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is highly significant medicinally. It contains powerful alkaloids like vinblastine and vincristine, which are widely used in modern chemotherapy to treat various forms of cancer.
Do periwinkles spread quickly?
Yes, the Vinca groundcover varieties, especially Vinca major, are known for spreading quickly and can be quite vigorous, so they require occasional pruning to keep them contained within garden borders. The Catharanthus varieties, however, grow more in a controlled, upright, bushy mound.