07 Dec Blue perrywinkle
Vinca major
Garden escapee. Mats of this species smother other ground vegetation and prevent growth of shrubs and trees. Grows best in fertile soil and well in shade.
Family: Apocynaceae
Origin: Central and southern Europe and northern Africa
Habit: Spreading perennial herb to 50cm high with stems that root at nodes and sometimes at tips Lacks milky latex that is common with its family.
Leaves: Opposite, ovate, 1.5-9cm long, 1.5-4.5cm wide, glossy green above, paler below; on leaf stalk 0.5-1.5cm long
Flowers: Violet-blue to mauve, 3-6cm wide, tubular with 5 spreading lobes 1.3-2.5cm long, stamens attached to inside of tube and within tube. Flowers mostly late Winter to late Summer.
Fruit: Produced in pairs joined at the base, membranous, cylindrical 3.5-5cm long, about 0.4cm wide. Seeds flat, hairless, 7-8mm long, 1-10 per fruit.
Roots: Fibrous. Stems root at nodes and sometimes at tips.
Dispersal: Seed is apparently rarely produced in Australia. Mainly spread by humans via garden refuse dumping.
Control: Hand Dig, bagging all plant parts and removing from site.
Foliar spray.
