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Vinca minor f. alba 'Elisa'

lesser periwinkle 'Elisa'

A mat-forming evergreen shrub with trailing, rooting shoots and opposite pairs of glossy, dark green leaves. From mid-spring to late summer, and intermittently at other times, it produces white flowers to 3cm across

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Size
Ultimate height
0.1–0.5 metres
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
1–1.5 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Clay
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring White Green
Summer White Green
Autumn Green
Winter Green
Position
  • Full shade
  • Full sun
  • Partial shade
Aspect

East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness
H6
Botanical details
Family
Apocynaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Matforming
Genus

Vinca can be evergreen subshrubs or herbaceous perennials, with simple, paired leaves and solitary, 5-lobed, salver-shaped flowers in the leaf axils

Name status

Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any but very dry soil, in full sun (for best flowering) to partial shade. May have the potential to become a nuisance if not managed well

Propagation

Propagate by division or semi-ripe cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Patio and container plants
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Ground cover
  • Underplanting of roses and shrubs
Pruning

To restrict growth, cut back hard in early spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to rust diseases

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