Madagascar Periwinkle

Catharanthus roseus

In the Carolinas and Georgia, found in disturbed areas, northwards only persistent after cultivation or as a waif or "throw-out" after cultivation. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

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

Profile 82%

Height: 6 inches–1.5 feet
Spread: 8–12 inches
Light: Dappled sunlight, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Catharanthus roseus — flower photograph — no rights reserved · CC0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Annual or perennial
Leaves: Semi-evergreen
Bloom: May to October

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Recorded in 1 Louisiana parish.

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

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in Louisiana. Shared habitat, not food. 107 animals.

Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Least Tern
Sternula antillarum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Little Gull
Hydrocoloeus minutus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Mottled Duck
Anas fulvigula
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Ammodramus nelsoni
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Palm Warbler
Dendroica palmarum
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Piping Plover
Charadrius melodus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Prairie Warbler
Dendroica discolor
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Purple Gallinule
Porphyrio martinica
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Purple Martin
Progne subis
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red Knot
Calidris canutus
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
Birds. 1 shared habitat
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
Birds. 1 shared habitat

All wildlife of Louisiana

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

2CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including LA

Genus host records with ranges including LA · 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 10a–11b
Soil pH: Acidic
Flower color: Yellow, pink, purple or white

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

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow, pink, purple or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Hardiness · “Zones 10a–11b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “6 inches–1.5 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Leaves · “Semi-evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Annual or perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
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” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “8–12 inches” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

Cayenne Jasmine; Church Flower; Rosy Periwinkle; Vinca rosea; periwinkle

Conservation status

Louisiana rank	SNA
Global rank	GNR
LA status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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