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The plants

Vinca minor, the lesser periwinkle, is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family, native to central and southern Europe. Its leaves are glossy dark green with a leathery texture. The flowers are violet-purple, or pale purple or white in some cultivated selections.

Vinca major, the greater periwinkle, is an evergreen perennial native to the Mediterranean region. Its flowers are violet-purple and 3-5 cm in diameter. Vinca major is similar to Vinca minor but larger in all parts.

Other names

Vinca minor is also called dwarf periwinkle, small periwinkle and common periwinkle. In the United States it is sometimes called myrtle or creeping myrtle. Periwinkle is also the name of the Madagascar periwinkles of the genus Catharanthus.

Habitat and cultivation

Vinca major prefers moist undergrowth, woodlands, hedgerows and banks along the rivers. Vinca minor is commonly grown as a groundcover in temperate gardens, valued for its evergreen foliage, its spring and summer flowers and its ease of culture.

In some areas of the United States Vinca minor is considered an invasive species, primarily because it forms dense mats along the forest floor. Vinca major is an invasive species in temperate parts of the United States, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

Chemistry

Vinca minor contains more than 50 alkaloids, including vincamine. Vinpocetine is a semisynthetic derivative alkaloid of vincamine.

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