Trailing Vinca Plant Care: How To Grow Catharanthus Roseus (2024)

Previously included in theVinca plant genusas Vinca roseus or Vinca rastrera, Catharanthus roseusis is an evergreen sub-shrub known for its glossy green leaves.

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It belongs to the Apocynaceae (dogbane) family of plants along with:

  • Desert Rose plant
  • Dipladenia plant
  • Hoya Hindu rope

It also goes by many common names, including:

  • Bright eyes
  • Old maid
  • Pink periwinkle
  • Madagascar periwinkle
  • Cape periwinkle
  • Graveyard plant
  • Trailing annual vinca

It’s native to Madagascar and cultivated throughout the world as an ornamental plant and as a medicinal plant.

A couple of chemotherapy medicines contain extracts from the plant.

It’s a hardy plant and is a star performer in subtropical gardens.

Catharanthus Roseus Quick Care Tips

  • Botanical Name: Catharanthus roseus
  • Common Name(s): Trailing Vinca, Madagascar Periwinkle, Bright eyes
  • Old maid, Pink periwinkle, Cape periwinkle, Graveyard plant, Trailing annual vinca
  • Synonyms: Vinca rosea, Vinca rastrera
  • Pronunciation: kat-uh-RANTH-us, RO-zee-us
  • Family & Origin: Apocynaceae family, native to Madagascar
  • Growability: Easy to grow
  • Grow Zone: 10-11
  • Size: Can grow from 6” inches to 18” inches
  • Flowering: Phlox-like Blooms in shades of pink, white, red, and purple in the summer
  • Light: Full sun to partial shade
  • Humidity: High humidity
  • Temperature: Prefers warm temperatures between 68° to 82° degrees Fahrenheit
  • Soil: Well-draining soil
  • Water: Water regularly, but do not overwater
  • Fertilizer: Fertilize with a liquid fertilizer every two weeks from early spring to autumn
  • Pests & Diseases: Susceptible to mealybugs and root rot
  • Propagation: Can be propagated through stem cuttings or seeds
  • Plant Uses: Used as a ground cover or in hanging baskets, window boxes, container garden, mass plantins, and also has medicinal properties.

Table Of Contents

  1. Catharanthus Roseus Quick Care Tips
  2. Trailing Catharanthus Vinca Care
    • Size and Growth
    • Flowering and Fragrance
    • Light and Temperature
    • Water Needs and Feeding
    • Soil Type and Transplanting
    • Grooming and Maintenance
  3. How To Propagate Catharanthus Roseus
    • To Propagate from Cuttings:
  4. For Seed Starting:
  5. Catharanthus Roseus Pest or Diseases
  6. Suggested Trailing Annual Vinca Uses

Trailing Catharanthus Vinca Care


Periwinkle is the name often used to describe Vinca minor and Vinca major, which both have similar care needs.

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Size and Growth

The trailing variety of vinca is a small perennial (in warm locations) with a woody base. It can often be trailing or upright.

It produces a mound of woody stems and glossy green foliage, reaching a height of about 6” inches to 18” inches.

It’s a low-maintenance trailing plant spreading easily, making it a common choice for ground cover in a garden bed.

The leaves are oblong and measure about 2” inches.

Flowering and Fragrance

The bushy foliage eventually produces phlox-like flowers in the summer.

The colorful clusters of Vinca flowers tend to last throughout the year until the first sign of frost appears.

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The flower colors of the petals vary, with cultivars producing white, lilac, red, pink, or rose-colored flowers.

They don’t produce a noticeable fragrance.

Light and Temperature

Winter hardy to USDA zones 10 to 11, trailing vinca grows best in warm, humid regions.

Vinca tolerates partial shade but thrives in full sun.

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If plants grow in part shade and do not receive adequate light throughout the year, they won’t produce fuller blooms.

The ideal temperatures range from 68° to 82° degrees Fahrenheit.

It can’t survive freezing temperatures in the winter. In cool regions with warm summers, place the plant outdoors in sunny spots during the warmer months, and bring it inside for the winter.

If the outdoor conditions remain too cool for the plant during the winter, it tends to grow as an annual.

It may continue to produce blooms for several years before slowly dying out.

Overwintering the plant allows it to grow as a perennial in cooler regions.

Water Needs and Feeding

Even though they have low water needs and are bred for heat, and are drought-tolerant, they never allow the soil to dry out completely.

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This plant requires regular watering but shouldn’t become waterlogged.

If the soil doesn’t drain well, the excess water promotes rot or fungal growth. Moreover, this plant thrives in high-humidity environments.

TIP:Misting the plant helps to ensure it receives enough water without overwatering the soil.

Use a liquid fertilizer every two weeks when watering the plant from early spring to autumn.

Soil Type and Transplanting

Vinca Catharanthus is not particular as to the soil type. For best results, grow plants in well-drained soil, adding compost or other organic matter to promote good drainage.

Adding a layer of pebbles below the soil also reduces the risk of fungal growth or root rot.

Repot potted plants each spring.

Madagascar periwinkle should receive fresh, well-drained soil each year.

For plants grown in garden beds, top of the soil each spring and add a layer of mulch to help stabilize temperatures in the soil and moisture around the root ball.

Grooming and Maintenance

Madagascar periwinkle requires little maintenance and doesn’t need grooming.

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How To Propagate Catharanthus Roseus

Propagate from cuttings or seeds.

When growing Cape periwinkle plants from seeds, sow them indoors 10 to 12 weeks before the last frost date.

To Propagate from Cuttings:

  • Take 2” – 3” inch-long tip cuttings in the late spring or early summer.
  • Take cuttings from branches with new growth, trimming just below a set of leaves.
  • Dip the end of the cutting in hormone rooting powder and plant in 2” – 3” inch pots using a well-drained potting mix.
  • Cover the pots with plastic bags and poke several holes for ventilation.
  • Place the pots near a window with bright light.
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After about three to four weeks, the cuttings should take root.

Follow the same plant care tips recommended for mature plants.

The following spring, transplant to a larger container.

For Seed Starting:

  • Sow seeds in a shallow tray in early spring.
  • Use moistened potting soil and cover the tray with a plastic bag or lid.
  • Set the tray in a warm spot or near a window with direct sunlight.
  • The vinca seeds should germinate within two to three weeks.
  • After germination, remove the cover and start watering the seedlings occasionally.
  • Allow the top half-inch to dry out between watering.
  • When the seedlings reach one inch tall, transplant them into 3” inch pots.

Catharanthus Roseus Pest or Diseases

Madagascar periwinkle comes with severalWARNINGS.

Look out for mealybugs and keep children and pets away from the plant.

All parts of the plant are toxic if ingested.

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Related: Details on thePoisonous Periwinkle.

It’s also a good idea to wear gloves when handling the plant or thoroughly wash your hands afterward.

Mealybugs are more of a problem when growing the plant indoors. These pests often resemblewhite cotton-like bugs on plantsand foliage.

Use cotton swabs dipped in rubbing alcohol to wipe away the bugs.

Spraying the plant with a mixture of dish soap and water may also solve the problem. Treat severe infestations with an insecticide such as Neem Oil for pest control.

Suggested Trailing Annual Vinca Uses

The bushy growth, trailing habit, and showy flowers make Madagascar periwinkle a perfect choice for:

  • Hanging basket
  • Window boxes
  • Container garden
  • Patios
  • Decks
  • Garden beds and borders
  • Landscapes
  • Mass plantings
  • As a ground cover
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One of the new varieties or selections you’ll find at the garden center is the fast-growing Mediterranean XP series.

In combination plantings, plant them with other heat-loving plants such as:

  • New Guinea Impatiens
  • Angelonia
  • Pentas flower
  • Petunia
  • Lobelia
  • Zinnia
  • It also grows well in raised planters or container gardens, attracting butterflies and bringing more color to a balcony or porch.
Trailing Vinca Plant Care: How To Grow Catharanthus Roseus (2024)

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