Creeping myrtle is a fast-spreading, 4- to 8-inch-tall, evergreen ground cover with shiny green leaves borne in pairs on long, arching stems. Starlike, 1-inch-wide blue flowers bloom for one month in spring. Cultivars include ‘Bowles,’ which blooms sporadically throughout the growing season, and variegated vinca, with creamy white-and-green leaves.
Noteworthy CharacteristicsRoots where stems touch the ground.
CareProvide dry to moist soil in full sun or deep shade. Old growth may be cut back to about 4 inches high in early spring to stimulate new growth. New roots form where stems touch the ground.
PropagationDivide in early spring or mid or late autumn.
ProblemsLeafhoppers, scale insects, aphids, leaf spot, and dieback
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- Genus : Vinca
- Zones : 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
- Plant Height : 6 to 12 inches
- Moisture : Dry to Medium
- Bloom Time : Early Spring, Late Spring, Spring
- Growth Rate : Fast
- Light : Full Sun to Partial Shade
- Uses : Ground Covers
- Maintenance : Low
- Plant Type : Perennials
- Characteristics : Showy Foliage
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