Vinca Minor Bowles - Creeping Myrtle Periwinkle Evergreen Groundcover with Blue Flowers

Vinca Minor 'Bowles' - Premium Creeping Myrtle Evergreen Groundcover

Create lush carpets of evergreen beauty in shaded areas with Vinca Minor 'Bowles', also known as Creeping Myrtle or Periwinkle. This versatile evergreen groundcover features glossy green foliage and exquisite lavender-blue flowers, making it the perfect solution for shade gardens, slopes, and naturalizing wooded landscapes.

Why Choose Vinca Minor 'Bowles'?

• Exquisite Blue Flowers: Profuse lavender-blue, phlox-like flowers (1" across) bloom in spring with sporadic flowering through fall
• Evergreen Foliage: Glossy, smooth leaves (to 1.5" long) provide year-round green coverage
• Fast Spreading: Trailing stems root at nodes, rapidly spreading to fill areas once established
• Perfect for Shade: Thrives in full shade to part shade where other plants struggle
• Low Growing: Mounds to only 6" tall, creating a neat, uniform carpet
• Drought Tolerant: Once established, tolerates semi-dry conditions
• Erosion Control: Excellent for stabilizing slopes and banks
• Deer Resistant: Natural deer resistance protects your landscape
• Low Maintenance: Minimal care required once established

Plant Specifications

• Botanical Name: Vinca minor 'Bowles'
• Common Names: Creeping Myrtle, Periwinkle, Dwarf Periwinkle
• Type: Herbaceous evergreen perennial groundcover
• Native Range: Europe and southern Russia
• USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 8
• Mature Height: 6 inches
• Spread: Indefinite (spreads rapidly via trailing stems)
• Growth Rate: Fast once established (most aggressive in spring)
• Flower Color: Lavender-blue (true blue)
• Bloom Time: Spring (May-June) with intermittent blooms through fall
• Foliage: Glossy, smooth, evergreen leaves

Growing Conditions

• Light: Full shade to part shade (tolerates close to full shade)
• Soil: Average, dry to medium, well-drained soil; prefers moist, humus-rich soils
• Water: Dry to medium; drought tolerant once established
• Maintenance: Low maintenance
• Tolerances: Deer, drought, heavy shade, erosion, dry soil, various soil types
• Special Features: Evergreen, year-round interest, erosion control

Ideal Uses for Vinca Minor 'Bowles'

• Groundcover for shaded areas under trees
• Naturalizing wooded landscapes
• Slope stabilization and erosion control on banks
• Cover for spring bulbs (foliage hides dying bulb leaves)
• Understory planting in woodland gardens
• Areas with indirect sun or dappled shade
• Low-maintenance landscape areas
• Filling large areas where grass won't grow
• Preventing weed growth in shaded beds

Coverage Guide - Plant Spacing Options

Approximate coverage per 50-count flat based on 1 plant per spacing:

• 6" spacing: Covers approximately 9 square feet (quick cover for smaller areas)
• 8" spacing: Covers approximately 16 square feet (recommended for quick cover)
• 12" spacing: Covers approximately 36 square feet (economical for large areas)
• 18" spacing: For very large areas where slower fill-in is acceptable

Expert Planting Instructions for Best Results

1. Mulch First: Before planting, mulch the area to retain moisture and prevent erosion from water runoff
2. Cluster Planting: Plant vinca in clusters of 2 pots/plugs per hole (creates 25 planting spots per flat for easier watering)
3. Create Water Wells: Form a small saucer-shaped well around each planting to direct water to the roots
4. Double Watering Method: Fill each well with water, let it soak in, then water again immediately
5. Establishment Care: Water every other day using this method to keep soil moist during establishment
6. Spacing: Plant 8" apart for quick cover of smaller areas; 12-18" apart for large areas

How Vinca Minor Spreads

Vinca Minor features trailing stems that root at the nodes as they grow along the ground. This natural rooting process allows the plant to quickly spread and form an attractive, dense groundcover. The initial spring growth is the most aggressive, but spreading continues throughout the growing season, especially during cooler weather.

Beautiful Lavender-Blue Flowers

The tubular, lavender-blue flowers are truly exquisite and can be profuse in spring on established plants. Each phlox-like flower measures about 1 inch across and appears in the leaf axils. While the main bloom period is spring (May-June), Vinca Minor continues to flower intermittently throughout summer into fall, especially during cooler weather.

Perfect for Shaded Areas

Vinca Minor 'Bowles' is one of the most popular and widely used groundcovers specifically because it thrives in shade where grass and many other plants fail. It's the perfect solution for those challenging shaded spots under trees, along north-facing walls, or in woodland gardens with indirect sun.

Excellent Erosion Control

The fast-spreading, rooting stems make Vinca Minor highly effective on slopes and banks for stabilizing soils and preventing erosion. Once established, the dense mat of evergreen foliage holds soil in place even during heavy rains.

Good Cover for Spring Bulbs

Plant Vinca Minor as a living mulch around spring bulbs like daffodils, tulips, and crocuses. The vinca foliage beautifully hides the dying bulb leaves after flowering while providing year-round green coverage.

Noteworthy Characteristics

Genus name origin: From Latin meaning "to bind or wind around," referring to the long, flexible stems that were historically used in wreath making.

Species name meaning: "Minor" means smaller - the leaves of Vinca minor are smaller than those of Vinca major.

Maintenance & Care

• Watering: Water regularly during establishment; drought tolerant once established
• Fertilizing: Generally not necessary; thrives in average soils
• Pruning: Trim back in early spring if needed to control spread or rejuvenate
• Pest/Disease: No serious insect problems; watch for vinca stem canker (blight) which can damage patches

Important Considerations

⚠ Spreading Nature: Vinca Minor can spread aggressively into adjacent lawns or garden areas. Plant where spreading is desired or install barriers to contain.

⚠ Invasive Status: Considered an invasive plant in certain states. Please check local regulations before planting and monitor spread.

Why 'Bowles' Variety?

The 'Bowles' cultivar is prized for its particularly vibrant true blue flowers and vigorous growth habit, making it one of the most popular Vinca minor selections for groundcover use.

Shipping Restrictions: We do not ship plants to California, Arizona, Hawaii, Alaska, & USVI

Order Vinca Minor 'Bowles' today and transform your shaded areas with this beautiful, fast-spreading evergreen groundcover featuring exquisite lavender-blue flowers and year-round green foliage!