Vinca minor ‘Alba’

White periwinkle (Vinca minor 'Alba') is the groundcover for places nothing else wants: dry shade under established trees, the crest of a retaining wall, the bank you have given up mowing. It holds at about 15cm high and runs a metre across, laying a mat of small glossy leaves scattered with white flowers through spring. Once closed over, it asks for almost nothing.

Why you'll love it

• It covers ground quickly. Trailing stems root as they travel, so plants set 30cm apart knit into continuous cover within a season or two.
• White, not lavender blue. The ordinary species flowers pale blue. This one is clean white, which lifts a shaded bed instead of disappearing into it.
• Dry shade suits it. Drought tolerant once established and content in poor soil, so it copes with root competition under mature trees.
• It holds a slope. Rooting stems bind the surface where mulch keeps washing downhill.

Where it works best

Groundcover in shade. Plant 30cm apart, roughly eleven per square metre, in a staggered grid. Under deciduous trees it carries the bare season, then sits happily in summer shade.

Slopes and retaining walls. Same spacing, working from the top of the bank down. Mulch between plants for the first year while the runners join up.

Borders and edging. It spills neatly over a path edge or low wall, but give it a hard boundary because it will keep running.

Growing white periwinkle in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade to full shade gives the best foliage. Morning sun is fine, hot afternoon sun is not. This suits cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens, and it is frost hardy, so cold southern districts and the tablelands work well. In tropical and subtropical humidity it sulks.

Soil. Undemanding, including poor and stony ground, provided water moves through rather than sitting. Loosen compacted soil before planting and mulch 50mm deep, clear of the crowns.

Water and feed. Twice a week through the first summer, then only in long dry spells. A light dressing of complete fertiliser in early spring is plenty, since overfeeding buys leaf at the expense of flowers.

Pruning and containment. Shear the planting back in late winter to keep the mat tight. This is a vigorous runner, so give it a hard border and never plant it where it can escape into bushland.

What to expect when it arrives

It comes as tube stock and as a 140mm pack of ten. Tubes are young rooted plants with a few runners, and they are the sensible buy for a large area because the cost per plant is low. The 140mm pack closes a small bed a season sooner.

Groundcovers travel well, though a little leaf yellowing after transit is normal. Plant within a few days, water in, and expect visible spread within six to eight weeks in the growing season. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The best ground cover plants for shade
• Browse the wider groundcover range
• Compare options in plants for retaining walls and slopes
• Plants that thrive in poor soil

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

About eleven at the recommended 30cm spacing. A 140mm pack of ten therefore covers just under a square metre, so tube stock is far better value on anything larger than a small bed.

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. All parts of vinca contain alkaloids toxic to cats and dogs if eaten. If your pet chews foliage, choose a different groundcover.

How do I stop it spreading?

Contain it with a hard edge of steel, timber or paving, and cut the runners back at that line once or twice a year. Keep it away from bushland and creek lines.