Vinca, Rose Periwinkle, Cayenne Jasmine, Madagascar Periwinkle, Old Maid
Life Cycle
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Fragrant or Not
no
Category(Bush/Vine/Tree)
small shrub
Height
6-36 in.
Spacing
6-9 in.
Flowering Months
from spring to late autumn
Flower Color
white to dark pink with a darker red centre
Growing Areas
All Pakistan
Frost Tender
yes
Exposure
full sun
Soil pH
tolerant
Propagation
by seeds
Uses
Bedding plant, container plant, border, or groundcover and medicinal plant
Other Details
Catharanthus roseus is native to the Indian Ocean island of Madagascar. This herb is now common in many tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. One of the major medical breakthroughs of the last century utilises compounds derived from a popular ornamental plant found in gardens and homes across the world, the Madagascar periwinkle . This tender, perennial plant grows as a herb or a subshrub, sprawling along the ground or standing erect up to a metre in height . The attractive white or pink flowers comprise five petals spreading from a long, tubular throat, while the leathery, dark green leaves are arranged in opposite pairs. Each fruit is formed of two narrow, cylindrical follicles which house numerous grooved seeds. Like many other plants in the Apocynaceae, the sap is a milky latex.As an ornamental plant, it is appreciated for its hardiness in dry and nutritionally deficient conditions, popular in subtropical gardens where temperatures never fall below 5 °C to 7 °C, and as a warm-season bedding plant in temperate gardens. It is noted for its long flowering period, throughout the year in tropical conditions, and from spring to late autumn, in warm temperate climates. Full sun and well-drained soil are preferred. Numerous cultivars have been selected, for variation in flower colour (white, mauve, peach, scarlet and reddish-orange),To encourage branching, and a fuller plant, and consequently more flowering, pinch back shortly after planting. There is no need to deadhead since spent flowers readily drop from plant. Fungal disease can be swift and devastating, and new plants should not be planted in affected soils
