Common Periwinkle

How to grow Common Periwinkle

Written by the GardenDecoded editorial team · Last reviewed 21 July 2026 · Written for UK gardens · How we research our guidance

Planting

Plant in autumn or spring, spacing plants about 45-60 cm apart for ground cover — they will knit together within a couple of seasons. Clear perennial weeds thoroughly first, because weeding through established periwinkle is difficult and slow.

Pruning

Shear the whole planting back hard in early spring every year or two to stop it becoming a thin woody mat and to encourage dense fresh growth. Cut back stray runners whenever they cross paths or edges.

Propagation

Extremely easy. Trailing stems root where they touch the ground, so simply lift a rooted section and replant it. Division in spring or autumn also works.

Pests and diseases

Rarely troubled by anything.

Value to wildlife

Early flowers give some nectar for bees at a lean time of year, and the evergreen mat gives ground-level cover.

Notes

It spreads steadily by rooting runners and can smother small neighbouring plants, so use it where you want ground covered rather than in a mixed border. Do not dispose of it in the countryside or a hedgerow. Check current toxicity guidance from an authoritative source before planting where children or pets have access.

Some structured details on this page (such as tolerances, pH and hardiness) come from USDA PLANTS Database (public domain). The written guidance is GardenDecoded's own, researched as described in our editorial policy.

Other names for this plant

These names have all been used for Vinca minor but are no longer the accepted name. You may still meet them on old labels, in books, or in nursery catalogues.

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