Madagascar Periwinkle
Catharanthus roseus
Also listed as Ammocallis rosea, Lochnera rosea
Also known as Vinca, Periwinkle, Tropical Periwinkle
Climate Match for your location
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Madagascar Periwinkle is a tropical flowering perennial bearing small, colorful blooms year-round in warm climates. It thrives in full sun with minimal fussing and produces pink, red, purple, or white flowers against glossy green foliage.
Why grow it
Madagascar Periwinkle offers reliable, continuous blooms in warm regions where many other flowering perennials flag during heat and drought. Compared to tender annuals, it establishes as a persistent plant in frost-free zones and requires minimal fertilizer or pruning once established. Its tolerance for poor soil and full sun exposure makes it useful where other ornamentals struggle, though it flowers less prolifically in shade than in dedicated sun exposures.
Watch out for
In container cultivation, consistent moisture promotes better flowering than allowing severe drying between waterings, though the plant still resists overwatering better than many tropicals. Powdery mildew can develop in humid conditions with poor air circulation, so spacing plants adequately and avoiding overhead watering helps prevent fungal issues. Where winters are cool (below 50F), plan to treat it as a seasonal annual or maintain indoors, as cold exposure causes decline.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Apocynaceae
Native Range
Madagascar
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
Madagascar Periwinkle is a tropical flowering perennial bearing small, colorful blooms year-round in warm climates. It thrives in full sun with minimal fussing and produces pink, red, purple, or white flowers against glossy green foliage.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Madagascar Periwinkle grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Madagascar Periwinkle offers reliable, continuous blooms in warm regions where many other flowering perennials flag during heat and drought. Compared to tender annuals, it establishes as a persistent plant in frost-free zones and requires minimal fertilizer or pruning once established. Its tolerance for poor soil and full sun exposure makes it useful where other ornamentals struggle, though it flowers less prolifically in shade than in dedicated sun exposures.
Watch out for
In container cultivation, consistent moisture promotes better flowering than allowing severe drying between waterings, though the plant still resists overwatering better than many tropicals. Powdery mildew can develop in humid conditions with poor air circulation, so spacing plants adequately and avoiding overhead watering helps prevent fungal issues. Where winters are cool (below 50F), plan to treat it as a seasonal annual or maintain indoors, as cold exposure causes decline.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Apocynaceae
Native Range
Madagascar
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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