Vinca minor                Apocynaceae

Dwarf Periwinkle                VING-ka MI-nor

• Evergreen ground cover, 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) tall, mat forming, spreading.  Leaves opposite, 0.6-4 cm long, elliptic, oblong, or elliptic-ovate, rounded base, entire, glossy dark green, petiole exudes a milky juice when broken.  Flowers solitary, lavender-blue, 2.5 cm diam.; this is the common form, but white, purplish, double blue cultivars available.
• Part shade to shade, needs more care than V. major.  Several cultivars, including various variegated forms, single and and double flowers, and flower colors that range from deep purple, to blue, to white.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 5      Europe and western Asia.
• The Italian name for this plant is Fiore di morte (flower of death). This name derives from the fact that during the Middle Ages heads of those to be executed were adorned with stem of V. minor (MacKenzie, 1997).
• Oregon State Univ. campus: southwest of Gilkey Hall (Social Science); east side of McAlexander Field House.