Vinca minor (USA/ UK)

Vinca minor L., Sp. Pl. 209 1753. (Syn: Pervinca heterophyla Raf.; Pervinca minor (L.) Garsault [Invalid]; Pervinca procumbens Gilib.; Pervinca repens Raf.; Vinca acutiflora Bertol. ex W.D.J.Koch; Vinca ellipticifolia Stokes; Vinca humilis Salisb.; Vinca intermedia Tausch; Vinca minor var. intermedia (Tausch) Nyman; Vinca minor var. sabinka H.Scholz);

Keys at Flora of China;

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Hungary, Romania, Poland, England (introduced), Denmark (introduced), Ireland (introduced), Norway (introduced), Sweden (introduced), Estonia (introduced), Latvia (introduced), Lithuania (introduced), C-European Russia, Belarus (introduced), Ukraine, Crimea, Portugal, Spain, France, Corsica, Sicily, Italy, former Yugoslavia, Bulgaria (introduced), Northern Caucasus, Transcaucasus, Kazakhstan, China (introduced) (Jiangsu (introduced)), Tajikistan (introduced), Madagascar (introduced), Panama (introduced), Mexico (introduced), USA (introduced) (Alabama (introduced), Arkansas (introduced), Arizona (introduced), Connecticut (introduced), District of Columbia (introduced), Delaware (introduced), Florida (introduced), Georgia (introduced), Iowa (introduced), Illinois (introduced), Indiana (introduced), Kansas (introduced), Kentucky (introduced), Louisiana (introduced), Massachusetts (introduced), Maryland (introduced), Maine (introduced), Michigan (introduced), Minnesota (introduced), Missouri (introduced), Mississippi (introduced), Montana (introduced), North Carolina (introduced), Nebraska (introduced), New Hampshire (introduced), New Jersey (introduced), New York (introduced), Ohio (introduced), Oregon (introduced), Pennsylvania (introduced), Rhode Island (introduced), South Carolina (introduced), Tennessee (introduced), Texas (introduced), Utah (introduced), Virginia (introduced), Vermont (introduced), Washington State (introduced), Wisconsin (introduced), West Virginia (introduced)), Canada (introduced) (British Columbia (introduced), New Brunswick (introduced), Nova Scotia (introduced), Ontario (introduced), Quebec (introduced)) as per Catalogue of Life;

Images by Gurcharan Singh (Inserted by J.M.Garg)

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Vinca major and V. minor – efloraofindia | Google Groups : 6 posts by 3 authors. Attachments (6)

A few months back there was a lot of discussion on this group and some confusion primarily because of representation of the two species at FOI. Whereas the specimens of V. major are not typical of the species, the true specimens of V. major are depicted under V. minor. I have collected a lot of V. major in Kashmir, Manali and other hill stations. The plant is much lax with trailing branches reaching several metres, leaves which are usually ovate, almost as broad as long, truncate or cordate at base, flowers nearly 1.5-2 cm across borne on almost 3-5 cm long stalks. The leaf margins and calyx lobes are ciliate.

I could not find V. minor in India but was lucky to find it growing in California here. The plant is with shorter branches, smaller nearly elliptic-oblong leaves which are narrowed at both ends, smaller flowers nearly 2.5 cm across on nearly 1-2 cm long stalks. Leaf margins and calyx lobes are glabrous.
I am uploading both V. major from Manali and V. minor from California to show better comparison so that V. minor could be searched in India and brought to our databases.

I am posting pictures which I have. Attachments (3). The first two I believe to be of Vinca minor. I have put a cropped picture showing leaf margin, which is supposed to be hairless in Vinca minor.
In the 3rd picture, which I believe to be Vinca major, the leaf margins are prominently hairy.
According to Flora of China, Vinca minor has the following characteristics: “Leaf blade oblong, ovate, or elliptic, 1-4.5 X 0.5-2.5 cm, base rounded or cuneate, margin not ciliate”.
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200018491

You have to see the two growing in nature to appreciate the differences. I believe your first two specimens are V. major and third V. probably V.minor (though not typical).

Found V. major also in California. Attaching leaf margin blow up to highlight differences between the two species. The flower size of V. major is almost twice (nearly 5 cm diam.) as compared to V. minor. Attachments (2)

Having found more of Vinca major as well as Vinca minor in California here. I find the following clear differences:

Vinca major Vinca minor

1. Plants loosely spreading on ground with longer internodes Plants compactly spreading on ground with shorter internodes

2. Leaves broadly ovate, 5-9 cm long, 3/4 to as broad Leaves elliptic to oblong, 2-4 cm long, about 1/2 as broad

3. Leaf base truncate or subcordate, margin minutely ciliate Leaf base rounded or cuneate, margin not ciliate

4. Pedicel 3-5 cm long Pedicel 1-2 cm long

5. Flower 3-5 cm in diam Flower 2.5-3 cm in diam.

I am attaching more photographs from California. Attachments (8)

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Vinca for Botanical ID – 070711-RK-1: 1 image.

Request ID. Pic taken on 5th March 2011
Los Altos,California
Garden – ground cover
V.low creeper ? Shrub-like?
Flower size – around 1″

Rather Vinca minor, pl see leaf shape

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Vinca for Common & Botanical ID – 160711 – RK -2: 2 images.

Pics taken Los Altos,California – March 2011
Request Common & Bot ID

This is Vinca minor and not V. major. Kindly note narrower, non-cordate leaves. shorter internodes. It is very commonly grown private houses and roadsides in California.

yes, v. minor… a popular ground cover, requiring very little care…
other than the automatic sprinkler that waters it and the grass feeding system that runs off to surrounding areas of the yards…
does well even in shade… even coming back year after year in ne states that get blanketed with snow, ice and freezing rain…

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Vinca minor:
Sharinag pictures of Vinca minor from California planted in roadside flower beds spreading on the surface of the ground.

Yes …. I had also posted same from California.
I wish some one finds and uploads this species from India because one represented on Flowers of India is not this species, probably V. major only. http://www.flowersofindia.LesserPeriwinkle.html

yes, this even survives ice and snow… and comes back year after year in NY and connecticut.. gardens…