Light Needs
Mature Height
Mature Spread
Growing Zones
Shiny green foliage and bold blue springtime blooms make the Bowles Periwinkle a tried and true favorite. Upright stems have glossy green leaves with smooth edges and light green veining. The lovely periwinkle blue flowers have slight white accents near the center. During the spring, the Vinca minor Bowles will be covered in blooms, but the foliage continues to provide color and texture throughout the rest of the year.
Use the shade-loving Bowles Periwinkle as a groundcover. This plant will look fantastic under a tree or in a dark corner of a landscape. Include the plant in a bed or garden border. Or plant in a container to feature on a covered porch or patio space that receives limited light. Plant with spring-blooming bulbs for additional greenery and color. Grow the Bowles Periwinkle as a perennial in USDA zones 4 through 8.
Bowles Periwinkle Care
Plant the Bowles Periwinkle in full shade. Soil should be moist but well-drained. This plant likes to dry out between watering, and it is drought-tolerant once established. Apply a balanced fertilizer in the spring to encourage new growth.
Prune the growth back in the spring for a fresh start. These vigorous growers can be cut back by one-third halfway through the summer if they start to appear leggy.
Bowles Periwinkle Spacing
This plant is not very tall, at 4 to 6 inches high, but it will spread out 2 to 3 feet. Plants can be spaced as close as 2.5 feet or leave more room, and the reaching stems will fill in and create a mat of greenery with time.
Bowles Periwinkle Plant Facts
Growing Conditions
- Hardiness ZonesGrowing Zones
- USDA Zones 4 to 8 (perennial); grown as an annual elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown indoors elsewhere (outdoors year-round); grown in containers elsewhere (grown as a seasonal crop)
- Sun Exposure
- Full Shade to Part Shade (0-4 Hours Direct Sun)
- Mature Height
- 6-11 Inches
- Mature Spread
- 2-3 Feet
- Growth Habit
- , Spreading
- Water Needs
- Consistently Moist
Flowers & Foliage
- Flower Colors
- , Blue
- Flower Description
- Blue
- Bloom Time
- Mid-Spring to Early Summer
- Foliage Color
- , Green
- Foliage Description
- Green
- Foliage Type
- , Evergreen, Herbaceous
- Seasonal Interest
- , Spring Flowering
Garden Benefits
Plant Overview
- Common Name
- Bowles Periwinkle
- Botanical Name
- VINCA MINOR 'BOWLES'
Simple Plant Spacing Calculator
Please Note: The pictures below are to give a general representation of the different container sizes. The actual size/ages of plants are estimates and will vary based on type of plant, time of year, last pruning & many other factors.
Also Known As:
Quart
Plant Age:
~ 6 months - 1 year
Plant Size:
~ 4"-8"
Pot Size:
~ 4.75"H x 4.5"W
Volume:
1.50 quarts
Also Known As:
2.5 Quart Pot
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 8"-12"
Pot Size:
~ 6.5"H x 6.5"W
Volume:
2.20-2.30 quarts
Also Known As:
#1 Container
1 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1 - 2 years old
Plant Size:
~ 10"-14"
Pot Size:
~ 7"H x 7.75"W
Volume:
2.26-3.73 quarts
Also Known As:
#2 Container
2 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 1.5 - 3 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-18"
Pot Size:
~ 9.5"H x 9.5"W
Volume:
1.19-1.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#3 Container
3 Gallon
Plant Age:
~ 2 - 4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 12"-30"
Pot Size:
~9.5"H x 11"W
Volume:
2.32-2.76 gallons
Also Known As:
#5 Container
5 Gallon
Plant Age:
~3-4 years old
Plant Size:
~ 20" - 60"
Pot Size:
~11" H x 10 1/2” W
Volume:
3.5 - 4 gallons
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Plants that are currently in stock typically ship within 2-7 business days after your order is placed.
Plant Addicts ships to the lower 48 states within the U.S. Unfortunately, we do not currently ship to Alaska, Hawaii, or internationally.
This plant cannot be shipped to the following states: AK, HI. These restrictions apply only to this specific plant due to agricultural regulations or other limitations. Other plants may still be available for shipping to these states.
If you have any questions about shipping restrictions, feel free to reach out to our team!