Vinca

Vinca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Apocynaceae, commonly known as periwinkles. The genus includes several species of evergreen, creeping vines that are widely cultivated as ornamentals for groundcover and edging.

The best-known species are Vinca minor, the lesser periwinkle, and Vinca major, the greater periwinkle. Native to Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa, vinca has been introduced around the world and is often grown in shade gardens.

Plants have slender, creeping stems with opposite, glossy evergreen leaves. The solitary, funnel-shaped flowers appear in spring or summer and are typically blue to violet, with five petals fused at the base; white forms occur in cultivated varieties.

Vinca is valued as a low-maintenance groundcover, tolerant of shade and drought, forming dense mats through rooting at nodes. It spreads aggressively in favorable conditions and can be invasive in some regions. It is propagated by stem cuttings or layering and prefers well-drained soils.

All parts of vinca contain cardiac glycosides and alkaloids and can be toxic if ingested by humans or animals. Handling sap can irritate sensitive skin in some people. Planting in areas where it may escape into the wild should be avoided in regions where it is invasive.

Vincristine and vinblastine, important anticancer drugs, are derived from Catharanthus roseus (Madagascar periwinkle), a species formerly classified in Vinca. This illustrates a historical connection between the two names.