Vinca facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vinca |
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| Giant Steps Periwinkle (Vinca major) plant | |
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Vinca
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Vinca balcanica |
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Vinca, also known as Periwinkle, is a group of five different plant types. The name Vinca comes from a Latin word meaning "to bind." These plants belong to the Apocynaceae family. You can find them growing naturally in parts of Europe, northwest Africa, and southwest Asia.
Contents
What Are Periwinkle Plants?
Periwinkle plants are either subshrubs or herbaceous plants. A subshrub is a plant that has woody stems at its base but softer, non-woody growth above. Herbaceous plants have stems that are not woody and usually die back to the ground in winter.
These plants have long, thin stems that can grow up to 1 to 2 meters (3 to 6 feet) in length. However, the stems usually don't grow very tall above the ground, staying between 20 to 70 centimeters (8 to 30 inches) high.
How Periwinkle Plants Spread
One cool thing about Periwinkle plants is how they spread. Their long stems often touch the ground. When they do, new roots can grow from these points. This allows the plant to spread out and cover a large area, making it a great ground cover in gardens.
Types of Periwinkle Plants
There are five main types, or species, of Vinca plants. These include Vinca balcanica, Vinca difformis, Vinca herbacea, Vinca major, and Vinca minor. Each species has its own unique features, but they all share the common characteristics of the Vinca genus.
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Vinca minor (above), Vinca major (below); leaves for comparison
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Vinca minor (above), Vinca major (below); leaf margins for comparison; note hairless margin of V. minor, hairy margin of V. major
Images for kids
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Vinca difformis growing in its natural home in Cáceres, Spain
See also
In Spanish: Vinca para niños
