If you’re a gardener and desired to see your garden full of various vibrant colors of flowers with pretty butterflies, vinca will be a great choice.
Also, they need very low maintenance to grow, and you needn’t to be bothered at all. But you’ll need to hold your patience as vinca takes time to grow.
Do vinca flowers come back?
Vinca doesn’t come back every season; rather the flowers grow annually. Flowers normally bloom early in the summer, until the winter comes. It returns by its own-sown seed, but it requires the full sun for the flowers to stimulate new growth and seed germination.
Vinca plants are annual and the flowers bloom usually in the summer. When the air and soil temperature go above 75°f it’s the best time for vinca’s seed germination. But vinca vines are perennial as they last year around.
Vinca plants:
Vinca plants need to be replanted every year to get the seeds and plants next year. It’s better to plant vinca in summer when the ground is very warm.
When the temperature rises up above 65°-75°, that warm environment is the most suitable time for vinca to grow.
If vinca plants get full sun with a little-bit of maintenance, it’s growth exacerbates. They are so fertile that they can reseed themselves and produce lots of tiny seeds when they get proper lights of sun with slightly moist, well-drained soil.
Vinca vines:
Vinca vines are perennial. From vinca plants, flowering vines are born, and the vines spread rapidly if planted in the deep shade. The leaves of vinca vines turn out variegated and very much attractive.
The variegated leaves last year-round and also the vinca vines blooms. The flowering vines bloom yearly because they need proper sunlight and warmth temperature for their reproduction.
From early spring to winter blue, purple, yellow, lavender and colors of flowers appear on the vines.
Is vinca annual or perennial?
Vinca’s are both annual and perennial. Actually, they are two species and vinca is the common name. Annual vinca is called a herbaceous perennial as it adapts only to warm climates. Also, it needs replanting every year. Perennial vinca has trailing vines and the leaves last year-around.
Vinca’s are not only annual but also perennial. Vinca annual and vinca perennial are two different species. They are different because of some characteristics.
Annual vinca:
They behave as annual as most of them grow yearly. It normally grows by its own seed mostly goes upto 14-15 inches. Some characteristics of annual vinca varieties are:
- Flowers can only bloom at warm temperatures.
- They don’t have any trailing vine.
- They don’t cover ground aggressively.
- They need to be replanted every year.
Here are some varieties of annual vinca:
Cooler Series:
For cool summer it’s a great choice. The plant’s height is usually 14 inches. The flowers are of vibrant colors.
Heat Wave Series:
Plants have growth compact. As a result, the height only rises up to 10 inches. But they bloom a little early.
Tattoo tangerine vinca:
This vinca is the unique one for their durability of flower and heat tolerance. Their height can grow up to 11-12 inches.
Mediterranean Series:
They are used for hanging baskets, containers or boxes, as they can’t grow more than 2 feet’s. The flowers are mostly white and lilac.
Pacifica Series:
They bloom extra earlier than others. Plants grow normally 14 inches tall, and flowers are 2 inches large. Flowers can be contrasting with eyes with pink, white, purple, red colors
Vinca Catharanthus roseus:
They are annual vincas and come back by their own seeds. Leaves are evergreen and flowers are white, pink contrasting red. They can grow up to 1 meter.
Tropicana:
Plants grow tall, more than 15 inches, and they are usually early bloomers. Flowers are rounded with a large and wide shape.
Perennial vinca:
Perennial vinca is another species of vinca. They can grow all year unlike annual vincas. Here are some characteristics of perennial vinca varieties:
- Plants of perennial vinca grow all year round but flowers mostly bloom annually.
- Have trailing vines with varieties of colors.
- Don’t need replanting every year.
Here are some varieties of perennial vinca:
Hellebore Series:
They bloom from early spring, and they have evergreen foliage. They grow up to 3 feet. Flowers are mostly white, pink and green.
Vinca vine species:
They typically grow 6 inches. They spread rapidly and cover the ground for shade. Plants and leaves last year to year, but the colorful flowers grow annually.
Vinca minor species:
They have dark evergreen large glossy leaves. They are typically 4-6 inches tall and excellent choice for ground cover. Flowers bloom from spring to fall.
Cora vinca:
They are strong enough to survive in all types of climate. Their heights can go 16 inches tall. They are easy to grow, and the flowers are vibrant.
Hosta series:
They grow more than 12 inches tall and 8 inches wide. The colors of the flowers are mostly seen purple and white.
Trailing vinca:
The leaves are glossy green. They are 6 inches to 18 inches long, can be used as ground cover.
Variegated vinca:
Plants have variegated leaves with large sea green foliage. It rises up to 6 inches, and it is used in containers.
Astilbe Series:
The leaves are feathery. They can grow 4 feet long. But they are slow growing and flowers take time to bloom.
Pacifica polka dot vinca:
They grow all season. Plants are usually 14-16 inches tall and flowers are bright white with dark rose polka dots.
How long do vinca flowers last?
Vinca flowers last according to what type of vinca it is. Annual vinca mostly needs full sun and so, the flowers last perfectly the whole summer. The annual vinca flowers grow one time but last for a long time.
They can tolerate heat even at the hottest weather and can continue to bloom. Flowers can last up to fall or sometimes until the temperature goes very low.
On the contrary, the perennial vinca flowers can bloom multiple times in a season and also last two or three weeks. Flowers require sunlight but they also can survive in a cooler environment. The flowers start to bloom at the very early of the spring.
Will vinca survive winter and frost?
Usually annual vinca can’t survive in very cold temperatures. But the perennial vinca may survive if it gets a minimum maintenance.
In winter, the vinca plants have to be kept away from the door or window so that it doesn’t get too much cold. It can be kept indoors in winter and in summer vinca can grow as outdoor plants.
What temperature can vinca tolerate?
Vinca are very good at absorbing heat. They can tolerate the hottest weather and can even grow in drought in summer. If the temperature goes above 75° f it’s the perfect environment for their own sowing seeds and for blooming.
But in winter, the growth of vinca is disturbed. They can’t grow in the winter and can’t survive in the lowest temperature.
If the temperature goes below 64°f for several days, flowering gets delayed. If temperature goes under 60° f the growth hampers and the leaves start to turn yellow.
How to take care of vincas in the winter?
Vincas dwell very much in the winter. So, they can’t survive if the temperature goes very low for numerous days. So you have to take care of these things if you want your vinca plants survive:
- It’ll be helpful if you cover the foliage with a thick layer of mulch that will prevent the plant from terrible winter winds.
- Water the plants not more than once in a month in the winter.
- Keep the plants indoors in winter.
- Be sure the plants don’t get connected with the cold air from the window or doors. Keep them in the warmest place of your house.
- Keep the soil moist and fertile.
How long do vinca plants live??
The annual vinca plants don’t live more than a year. After blooming they lose life. So gardeners need to replant the vinca plants every year.
The annual vinca blooms in the summer and the flowers last up to fall or until winter comes. Again, they grow by their own-sown seeding as they are very fertile.
But the perennial vinca plants can survive all year round. They don’t lose life every year. So, they don’t need replanting every year. They grow faster than annual vinca and primarily bloom in spring.
Final thought:
Vinca flowers don’t come back as they grow annually; mostly in the summer. Vinca annual and vinca perennial are two different species with some particular characteristics. Annual vinca needs replanting every year for blooming but perennial vinca don’t as it lasts year-around.