Apocynaceae

Vinca major

Common Names: Blue periwinkle

Plant Form: Perennial creeping mat-forming herb. Size: Up to 50 cm tall. Stem: Slender, fleshy with milky sap. Creep up to 2-4 m long. Leaves: Thick, soft to leathery, egg or oval shaped 15-90 mm long, with small fine hairs on smooth margins. Glossy green, sometimes variegated pale yellow or green. Flowers: Purplish blue, occasionally white, solitary on stalk, with 5 petals surrounding tubular centre. Fruit and Seeds: Finger like pods in pairs 2-5 cm long with 1-4 hairless seeds 7-8 mm long. Habitat: Riparian areas, heathland, grassland, wet forests, roadsides, gardens. Distinguishing Features: Larger than lookalike Lesser periwinkle (Vinca minor), and with hairs on leaf margins. Impacts: Mats shade out native species, toxic to livestock, alters habitat.