Vinca minor Linnaeus, Apocynaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk; score: 8.5 (Hawaii-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment for Vinca minor)

Other Latin names:  Pervinca minor (L.) Scop.; Vinca ellipticifolia Scop.; Vinca humilis Salisb.; Vinca intermedia Tausch

Common name(s): [more details]

English: common periwinkle, lesser periwinkle, periwinkle, running myrtle, running-myrtle

Habit:  vine

Description:  "[Vinca minor]. . .is a perennial herb usually less than 18" tall, with prostrate leafy stems and ascending flowering stems; opposite, dark green, widely ovate, 2" long leaves; and showy, axillary, solitary, 1" long flowers on long pedicels, the lilac blue corolla of each lined with a ring of hairs inside, above the point where the stamens join it. . .&nbnsp;. Cultivars with white flowers, doubled purplish flowers, and variegated leaves are available.¹¹⁹⁸" (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 128)

"Plant. Evergreen to semievergreen vines, somewhat woody, trailing or scrambling to 3 feet (1 m) oong and upright to 1 foot (30 cm). Violet pinwheet-shaped flowers. ¶Stem. Slender . . ., succulent becoming somewhat woody (tough to break) with flowering branches erect and jointed at axils. Hairless and smooth. Dark green at base to light green upward with a reddish tinge. ¶Leaves. Opposite. Glossy and hairless, somewhat thick, with margins slightly rolled under. . . . narrow elliptic, 0.8 to 1.8 inches (2 to 4.5 cm) long and 0.4 to 1 inch (1 to 2.5 cm) wide, with petioles 0.1 inch (1 to 3 mm) long. . . . Blades dark green with whitish lateral and midveins above and lighter green with whitish midveins beneath. Some varieties variegated. ¶Flowers. . . . Axillary, usually solitary. Violet to blue lavendar (to white), with five petals radiating pinwheel-like at right angles from the floral tube. . . . 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide with a 0.3- to 0.5-inch (8- to 12-mm) long tube. . . . Five sepals long lanceolate, about 0.4 inch (1 cm), hairy margined. ¶Fruit and seeds. . . . Slender, cylindrical fruit to 2 inches (5 cm) long. Becoming dry and splitting to release three to five seeds." (Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests, p. 43)

Habitat/ecology:  "Periwinkle [PIER ed.: Vinca minor] grows best in rich, moist soils and partial shade and does not tolerate full sun in summer [PIER ed.: in North America]. . . . It grows [PIER ed.: non-native] in most states and regions of the United States and southern Canada except high, semi-arid plains and mountains and deserts." (Invasive Plants (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007), p. 198)

In southeastern USA, "[f]ound around old homesite plantings and scattered in open to dense canopied forests. Form mats and extensive infestations even under forest canopies by vines rooting at notes, with viability of seeds yet to be reported." (Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests, p. 43)

". . .fairly abundant on Maui, Kaua'i, and Hawai'i in gardens above 3,000' elevation. It requires a cool, partially shaded location. . . . (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 128)

Propagation:  "Periwinkle [PIER ed.: Vinca minor] spreads mainly from underground runers and from rootlets formed at leaf nodes. It seldom reproduces from seeds [PIER ed.: in North America]." (Invasive Plants (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007), p. 198)

Native range:  Europe (Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests, p. 43)

southern Europe (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 128) "Native to southern and central Europe (i.e. France, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, Yugoslavia and south-western Russia)." (Weeds of Australia)

Impacts and invaded habitats:  "Once established it [PIER ed.: Vinca minor] can form a carpet that entirely shades the ground, excluding other plants. Thus it has been popular as a garden ground cover. One key to its success is that as an evergreen it can make use of spring and fall sunlight when the forest canopy is bare. Leaves are toxic to most or all grazers, and seeds are too small for birds, so when it displaces native plants, it also displaces food sources for wildlife." (Invasive Plants (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007), pp. 198-199)

"Lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria. It is a particular problem in the Dandenong Ranges region, east of Melbourne." (Weeds of Australia)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 128) ". . .fairly abundant on Maui, Kaua'i, and Hawai'i in gardens above 3,000' elevation."
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 128) ". . .fairly abundant on Maui, Kaua'i, and Hawai'i in gardens above 3,000' elevation."
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	cultivated	Staples, George W./Herbst, Derral R. (2005) (p. 128) ". . .fairly abundant on Maui, Kaua'i, and Hawai'i in gardens above 3,000' elevation."

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Victoria (Australia)	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "Locally naturalised in southern and north-eastern Victoria."
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."
New Zealand New Zealand	North Island (NZ)		Consortium of Pacific Herbaria (2018)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Africa Africa	Kenya	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."
Africa Africa	Tanzania	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."
Canada Canada	Canada	introduced invasive	Kaufman, Sylvan Ramsey/Kaufman, Wallace (2007) (p. 198) "Periwinkle spreads mainly from underground runners and from rootlets formed at leaf nodes."
Canada Canada	Canada	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."
Europe Europe	Denmark	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."
Europe Europe	Europe	native	Queensland Government (year unknown) "Native to southern and central Europe (i.e. France, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Italy, Romania, Yugoslavia and south-western Russia)."
Europe Europe	Ireland	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."
Europe Europe	United Kingdom	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."
United States of America United States	United States	introduced invasive cultivated	Kaufman, Sylvan Ramsey/Kaufman, Wallace (2007) (p. 198) "It grows in most states and regions of the United States and southern Canada except high, semi-arid plains and mountains and deserts." "Periwinkle spreads mainly from underground runners and from rootlets formed at leaf nodes."
United States of America United States	United States	introduced invasive	Queensland Government (year unknown) "...widely naturalised overseas in the British Isles (i.e. the UK and Ireland), northern Europe (e.g. Denmark and Finland), southern Africa (e.g. Kenya and Tanzania), New Zealand, North America (i.e. the USA and Canada) and southern South America (e.g. Chile)."

Comments:  ". . .fairly abundant on Maui, Kaua'i, and Hawai'i in gardens above 3,000' elevation." (A Tropical Garden Flora, p. 128)

Control:  "Small populations [PIER ed.: of Vinca minor] can be pulled by hand, but often root fragments will produce new growh. Herbicides with glyphosate are the most effective control. Triclopyr also works but not as effectively." (Invasive Plants (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007), p. 199)

"Recommended control procedures: ■ Thoroughly wet all leaves (until runoff) with one of the following herbicides in water with a surfactant (July to October [PIER note: southeastern USA] for successive years): Tordon 101 . . ., Tordon K . . ., or Garlon 4 . . . ." [IMPORTANT NOTE: refer to the original source document for details and warnings] "■ Or, during the growing season, repeatedly apply Garlon 4 or a glyphosate herbicide as a 2-percent solution in water (8 ounces per 3-gallon mix) with a surfactant. In winter, herbicide treatments should be limited to warm days." (Nonnative Invasive Plants of Southern Forests, p. 81) (IMPORTANT NOTE: Although every effort has been made to transcribe this information accurately, PIER recommends that you consult the original source document for details before mixing/applying any herbicide. Additionally, PIER stresses that you must comply with local laws regarding herbicide use.)]