Vinca major vs Vinca minor are confusing to tell a part as they look similar, but they differ in many ways. From the plant structure, leaf size, texture of stems, and different blooms, these plants look different in many ways.
Continue reading this article, and you will know how to differentiate Vinca major from V. minor.
| Features | Vinca major | Vinca minor |
| Leaves | The leaves are big, circular, and heart-shaped, with a shiny green color. | It has tinier and elongated leaves with a lance shape. |
| plant size | It grows up to a height of 35 inches. | The plant is dwarf and grows up to 15 inches. |
| Flowers | The big five-petalled light blue flowers are easily visible during summer. | It produces tiny pale lilac flowers during spring. |
| Growing zones | The plants grow in USDA zones 7-9. | Mainly grow in USDA zones 4-8. |
Contents
How Are The Main Difference of Vinca Major and Vinca Minor?
The main difference between vinca major vs vinca minor is the size and shape of the leaves. V. major has circular and heart-shaped leaves with a glossy dark green hue, hence the name bigleaf periwinkle. Conversely, V. minor’s leaves are smaller, elongated, and lance-shaped.
– Size and Structure
The other main difference between v. major and v. minor is the size of the plants. This shows that the V. major is the bigger periwinkle plant, with most of them growing as vegetative vines up to a height of 35 inches. In such a stance, you would see that they are different from the way that they would be growing and as they develop, the structure would be quite immense.
Major is also a more aggressive, semi-evergreen ground cover that controls soil erosion. However, the plant is the least active in winter because of the freezing temperatures. When the leaves shed, the roots are left to hold the soil together during the season.
On the contrary, the V. minor, also known as the dwarf periwinkle or periwinkle Vinca, grows to 15 inches. It is an evergreen periwinkle that provides ground cover throughout the seasons and is preferred for landscaping and covering hillsides thanks to its low maintenance, and this shows that the leaves have a different way of growing.
– Leaf Shape, Color, and Size
If it is hard to differentiate V. major from V. minor using their height, look at the leaf sizes and shapes. However, you must keep in mind that the vinca major has twice the size of leaves as the other variety, which grows up to nine centimeters. These leaves have a leathery texture and a shiny dark green hue. The leaves’ heart shape contributes to the plants’ beauty, making them a common choice for landscaping.
Unlike its relative, vinca minor has tinier leaves that grow up to 1.77 inches, with a smaller width. These tiny leaflets also have a leathery texture making them less different from the sister plant, but their lance shape is unique. The leaf stalks are hairy, and the leaf is always green.
– Flowers
The periwinkles are liked for their beautiful flowers, but thankfully the blooms vary. V. major produces big and conspicuous five-petaled light blue flowers with a visible violet hue. You must also know that the plant blooms throughout the summer and sometimes extends to the fall. It has many flowers because each axle has enough space to yield four.
If you like light lilac or slight pink hues, get the Vinca flower garden seeds Mediterranean xp seeds for your landscaping or pot plant. The blooms are tinier than that of its plant twin, and they are fewer because an axle can host up to two blooms. Depending on growing zones, these flowers will be visible from spring to mid-summer.
– Hardiness Zones
It is a common or frequently asked questions, when it comes to where V. major and minor can grow. These plants have different growth zones. V. Major grows in USDA zones 7 to 9, and most homeowners in Zone 7 grow it as a pot plant, and they shape it around the containers.
V. minor is a common plant in the Midwest and prefers climates resembling those of USDA zones 4 to 8. The plant requires little sun with partial shade and well-draining soils.
Exploring Vinca’s Significant Features, Growth Requirements, and Uses
The V. major, or bigleaf periwinkle, is a hardy ground cover native to the western Mediterranean. It is most often grown for landscaping because of its ability to form a dense mat that covers the soil to prevent soil erosion. While covering the soil, the plant also produces beautiful blue-purple blooms.
V. major is a standard potting and landscaping plant because of its low maintenance. It is not demanding with the watering requirements because of its tolerance to drought. The plant can also grow on various soil types but must be well-draining so that it will be prosperous as it is growing.
You must also see that it is grown because it has the V. major more during summer because of the blooms. The flowers have an attractive blue-to-purple hue and are easily noticeable because of their size. Whether you grow V. major in baskets or on the ground, it will bloom when provided with the right conditions, and you will see more of the growing flowers and the blooming flowers.
– Watering Requirements
Outsidepride Mediterranean xp vinca flower seed are the easiest to grow because of the small watering requirements. However, the watering also depends on the type of climate and the amount of sunlight the plant is exposed to. While vinca plants are drought tolerant, they require consistently wet soil to grow.
Ensure you regularly pour water into the plant during dry seasons to keep the soil moist. Continuously irrigate until the water reaches the roots; however, you must be mindful and aim not to create a pool to avoid overwatering problems. You should also wait until the top two inches of the soil feel dry.
Since less water evaporates during the cold seasons, you don’t need to irrigate the plant constantly. Therefore, only water it if the soil is dry. You can reduce how often you water the vinca plant during summer by mulching it, but don’t dehydrate it.
– Soil Requirements
You can plant vinca major in many soil varieties, but ensure the soil type drains well. This kind of soil allows air circulation in the root system and keeps the right amounts of moisture by not holding excess water. Excessive dampness can lead to root rot and other insect infestations.
Besides well-draining soil, your V. major plants will also do well in slightly acidic soils. Add peat moss and compost to lower the acidity if you grow them in alkaline soils, but, be mindful and you should also ask, is Vinca major invasive? You must also keep in mind that, Vinka major is considered an invasive plant in California and Virginia because it spreads its nodes to form nodes in bare soil.
– Light Requirements
Another reason many gardeners and homeowners prefer v. major over other landscaping plants is its low light requirements. The plant can grow under a shade, meaning if you have a canopy, you can use V. major as a good soil cover, so that it would have a good way of growing and establishing in the indirect light.
This vinca plant won’t survive in areas with full sun, so what happens is that the sun scorches its leaves, leaving them with brown spots and turning others yellow. Yellowing of leaves reduces photosynthesis, which can lead to dying of the plant. If you grow v. major in pots, transfer it indoors during summer to protect the leaves from the scorching sun.
– Fertilization and Propagation
The type of soil you grow v. major determines whether the plant requires fertilization. You won’t need to fertilize the plant if the earth is well-draining and healthy. If your area has alkaline soils, add a mixture of peat moss and compost to make it acidic.
You can propagate the greater periwinkle by division or cuttings of the rooting system. You can also use stem cuttings of a healthy plant, and this is the reason you should ensure they have some leaves at the top and dip the bottom in rooting hormone into moist potting soil. Provide all the major plant growth requirements, and they will start rooting after two to four weeks.
Is Vinca a major perennial? V. major is a perennial plant in warm climates because it can easily survive in those regions. However, the plant is annual in colder regions because of the freezing grounds.
– Uses
Vinca major is a preferred ornamental plant for indoor and outdoor plant growers because of its easy growing and beautiful flowers. It is also a common plant among herbalists, who use it to treat period cramps and other female diseases. Hence, you should know that it also helps to alleviate gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea.
Exploring Vinca Minor Features, Growth Requirements, and Uses
The vinca minor, also known as the creeping myrtle or common periwinkle, is a low-maintenance and easy-to-grow plant known for its light purple beautiful flowers. V. minor grows as a vine outdoors and can be used as a covering plant to reduce soil erosion or grown indoors.
Growers and homeowners like the v. minor plant because of its few growth requirements. The plant will thrive and bloom perfectly once the soil is moist and provides enough lighting.
So, since v. minor is also called the common periwinkle, what is the difference between Vinca and periwinkle? Periwinkle and vinca plants have the same leaf size and patterns and produce flowers, so they are the same.
– Water
Watering v. minor plants is the most straightforward task you will have as a gardener because it is not very demanding with irrigation. However, you must keep the soil moist for 100 mixed rosea vinca periwinkle seeds dwarf flowers to grow.
Once the plant matures, you can reduce irrigating to avoid root rot and other plant problems. On the contrary, you should also make sure that you don’t water it in such a small way, that it would be dehydrated and weakened in the long run.
– Light
The v. minor plant doesn’t appreciate direct sunlight. It prefers growing under a shade, in the partial sun, to protect the leaves from scorching. The plant will thrive under the shade but remember to water it because it will receive the nutrients from the light in an indirect way.
However, you should expose the v. minor plant to full sun if you grow it in cool areas. The sun helps with plant growth and blooming. If you have v. minor as an indoor plant, don’t leave it in the dark lest it will die.
– Soil
All the vinca plants require well-draining soils, and so does v. minor. Draining soil ensures no excess water is left in the soil to make it soggy, which can lead to root rot and insect infestation. Best v. minor soils are also fertile with a low PH.
The plant will grow steadily and fast if planted in suitable soil types. And so, is Vinca minor a perennial plant? Variegated vinca minor is a perennial plant that grows roots from the stem nodes. The plant can last two or more years if taken care of.
– Propagation
You can grow v. minor from seeds, but most growers prefer stem cuttings because the seeds grow slowly. However, you will put in more work when planting stem cuttings because you must first wait for them to grow roots.
Once you get the healthiest stems, dip them in rooting hormones to fasten the process. Ensure you provide enough moisture to the plant to sustain its growth. Ensure the soil is also well-draining to avoid root rots of the tiny rooting systems.
Alternatively, you can propagate v. minors through dividing. Once you notice a new shoot alongside the parent plant, dig slightly to uproot it. Plant the division on the same day and provide similar conditions under which it was growing.
Conclusion
V. major and V. minor are sister plants but different in many ways. The V. major plant has heart-shaped more giant leaves with a leathery texture, while those of the V. minor are tinier with a lance shape. These plants also grow in different hardiness zones; their flowers come out at other times and differ in hues.
Choosing between v. major and v. minor depends on your preferences. If you like larger leaves with a heart shape, the v. major is ideal for ground covering. You can also choose it for its dark purple flowers. However, if you like lighter shades of purple and tinier leaves, get the v. minor plant.
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