Periwinkle (Myrtle): Hardy Evergreen Ground Cover for Shade and Erosion Control

Myrtle (Vinca spp.) is among the hardiest evergreen ground covers, hardy to Zone 4 and growing as far north as Canada. It can be invasive in certain areas.

Myrtle, Also Called Vinca or Periwinkle

Bright-green leaves darken with the season, sometimes taking on a bronze tone under winter sun. Lavender-blue or white flowers appear in spring and sporadically all season.

• Spring and early fall are best planting times.
• Prospers in dappled sunlight but grows in full sun and dense shade.
• Use instead of mulch under trees/shrubs to control weeds, or in difficult-to-mow areas. Tenacious root system makes it ideal for erosion control on steep banks.
• Prepare ground by tilling in 1-inch peat moss or compost and 5-10-5 fertilizer to 6-inch depth.
• Space young plants/divisions ~8 inches apart. Soak entire planting, mulch lightly with pine needles or bark.
• Water and weed frequently during first season. New shoots spread and root between plants, covering ground joyfully.

Myrtle Folklore: The Sorcerer's Violet

A thousand years ago, the sorcerer's violet (now periwinkle, vinca, or myrtle) was shrouded in superstition:

• English herbalists believed it could be gathered only on the 1st, 9th, 11th, or 13th day of the Moon by a person cleansed of impurities.
• Carriers believed they were protected from the devil and safe from rabid dog bites and venomous serpents.
• Scots named it "joy-of-the-ground." They believed marital bliss would be ensured if leaves were ground to powder and taken at meals in a freshly picked houseleek containing worms. (Many Scottish couples likely endured unhappy marriages rather than brave the cure.)