lesser periwinkle

Vinca minor is a trailing subshrub, spreading along the ground and rooting along the stems to form large clonal colonies and occasionally scrambling up to 40 centimetres (16 in) high but never twining or climbing. The leaves are evergreen, opposite, 2–4.5 cm (3⁄4–1+3⁄4 in) long and 1–2.5 cm (1⁄2–1 in) broad, glossy dark green with a leathery texture and an entire margin. The flowers are solitary in the leaf axils and are produced mainly from early spring to mid summer but with a few flowers still produced into the autumn; they are violet-purple (pale purple or white in some cultivated selections), 2–3 cm (3⁄4–1+1⁄4 in) diameter, with a five-lobed corolla. The fruit is a pair of follicles 2.5 cm (1 in) long, containing numerous seeds.

Chemistry. Vinca minor contains more than 50 alkaloids, including vincamine. Other alkaloids include reserpine, rescinnamine, akuammicine, majdine, vinerine, ervine, vineridine, tombozine, vincamajine, vincanine, vincanidine, vinburnine, apovincamine, vincaminol, desoxyvincaminol, vincorine and perivincine.

Similar species. The closely related Vinca major is similar, but larger in all parts, and also has relatively broader leaves with a hairy margin.

Vinca minor is native to central and southern Europe, from Portugal and France north to the Netherlands and the Baltic states, east to the Caucasus, and also southwestern Asia in Turkey.

Vinpocetine (brand names: Cavinton, Intelectol; chemical name: ethyl apovincaminate) is a semisynthetic derivative alkaloid of vincamine with purported medicinal uses.

The species is commonly grown as a groundcover in temperate gardens for its evergreen foliage, spring and summer flowers, ease of culture, and dense habit that smothers most weeds. It was once commonly planted in cemeteries in parts of the Southern U.S. and naturalized periwinkle may indicate the presence of graves whose other markers have disappeared.

Cultivars. There are numerous cultivars, with different flower colours and variegated foliage. Many have a less vigorous habit than the species, and are therefore more suitable for smaller gardens. The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:

'Argenteovariegata' (leaves have creamy white margins) 'Atropurpurea' (burgundy-purple flowers) 'Azurea Flore Pleno' (double blue flowers) 'Bowles's Variety' (violet-blue flowers: also known as 'Bowles's Blue' and 'La Grave') 'Ralph Shugert'