Fight the winter blues with Vinca


Blooming Vinca in the top photo, located in a bay window that faces south and west; 
Above, several Vinca plants in a big planter that also contains a palm tree.

Visitors to my home in rural Scott County can't miss the number of plants inside during this frigid winter weather.

The porch plants include a huge sanseveria and palm tree, coleus which is rooting in three separate vases, begonias I couldn't bear to kill, a hosta seedling and ... Vinca.

For the first time I have overwintered several white Vincas with pink centers. I have a separate Vinca  now in a Valentine's Day planter, and 3-4 planted with the giant palm tree.

They are doing just fine, so far.

Formally called Catharanthus roseus, Vinca is grown as an annual plant in this part of the country.

Vinca is also known as periwinkle, and comes in a variety of colors. The greens on the plants are evergreen, and the small flowers emerge in the spring and summer.

The Vinca in our house do demand regular watering; the small one seems to need a bath about twice a week. But I am happy to report that it has bloomed, now, several times. On Jan. 18, an extremely cold day, I came downstairs to see one big bloom, and one bud about to burst.

The vinca that's doing so well is in our front bay window; so it's getting what southern and south-eastern sunlight is available this time of year. It's also a bit cool in the spot, so maybe the vinca is responding to those factors.

The trio of vinca in the palm plant is in the kitchen, which has several windows but faces west and north. They are still alive, and evergreen as can be, but are not blooming.

I keep that palm tree in the kitchen so birds, feeding outside in a feeder, don't crash into the patio door. That's happened a few times and I die a little death at every instance. So I've put up window clings that are supposed to alert the birds to the big window, and go to the ends of the Earth not to cause untimely avian deaths.

Back to Vinca: It's a low-maintenance annual, a nice option for impatiens, and can be over-wintered in Iowa. Adventurous fellow gardeners may want to try this, too.

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