Common Periwinkle

Vinca minor

Found in disturbed areas, around old house sites and especially old cemeteries, persistent and spreading from cultivation. FloraQuest, phone app (app page) What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to Florida. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 82%

Height: 3–6 inches
Spread: 6 inches–1.5 feet
Light: Dappled sunlight, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Somewhat dry to moist

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Vinca minor — flower photograph — no rights reserved · CC0 · Original photograph

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Wild Blue Phlox
Phlox divaricata
Sun: Dappled sunlight, Deep shade, Partial shade. Soil: Usually moist. Flowers: Blue or purple.
Published recommendation: Tennessee Invasive Plant Council (TN-IPC)
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Sun: Deep shade, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Pink or white.
Published recommendation: Tennessee Invasive Plant Council (TN-IPC)

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At a glance

Life cycle: Perennial
Leaves: Evergreen
Bloom: April to June
Fruiting season: June to July

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Recorded in 1 Florida county.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including FL

Genus host records with ranges including FL · Vinca

Chloridea virescensTobacco Budworm Moth
Epiblema discretivanaDescriminating Epiblema

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

1BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Vinca

Phalacrocorax auritusDouble-crested Cormorant

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Apocynaceae
Hardiness: Zones 4a–9b
Flower color: Blue, purple or white
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Spreads by runners
Foliage color: Dark green
Fruit begins: June
Fruit ends: July

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “April to June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Blue, purple or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Foliage color · “Dark green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “June” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “July” · FloraQuest: Carolinas, Georgia (Southeastern Flora Team), phone app (app page) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Spreads by runners” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 4a–9b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “3–6 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Minnesota Wildflowers differ)
Leaves · “Evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; Minnesota Wildflowers differs)
Light · “Dappled sunlight (shade through upper canopy all day); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist; Occasionally dry” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “6 inches–1.5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Grave Moss

Conservation status

Florida rank	Not available
Global rank	GNR
FL status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source