Vinca minor 'GERTRUDE JEKYLL'

Periwinkle is a European native plant growing wild in the woods from Central Europe to Caucasus. It is a prostrate, evergreen groundcover offering a long flowering period.

Gertrude Jekyll is a superior periwinkle variety over Alba variety. It offers more abundant flowering of slightly larger flowers, or they at least seem larger as the petals are wider and not so detached from each other. They are snow white, pinwheel-shaped, divided into 5 petals, 2-2.5 cm across, and bloom continuously from mid spring until early summer while May flowering is the most abundant. Leaves are dark green, ovate, evergreen, leathery, and glossy.

Plant makes long shoots which are best trimmed to achieve a dense and compact mat with plentiful of flowers unless you are looking for a quick ground-cover. Periwinkle is ideal in areas where it can be left to its own devices, beneath taller trees or shrubs, not disturbing smaller and dwarf plants. If desired in a bed along with other plants keep it under control by hard pruning.

It will grow in almost any soil type apart from too dry. It flowers best in full sun in evenly moist ground. In the wild it naturally grows in filtered sun or partial shade. Fully hardy to -34°C (USDA zone 4).

Last update 07-11-2020.