| big periwinkle | USDA PLANTS Symbol: VIMA U.S. Nativity: Exotic Habit: Vines Shrub or Subshrub |
| Vinca major L. |
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Taxonomic Rank: Magnoliopsida: Gentianales: Apocynaceae |
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| Synonym(s): bigleaf periwinkle, large periwinkle, greater periwinkle, periwinkle | |
| Native Range: Europe & W. Asia (REHD); | |
Bigleaf periwinkle is an evergreen to semi-evergreen, trailing vine that reaches to over 6.6 ft. (2 m) in length. The stems are stout, somewhat woody and green in color. The opposite, glossy leaves are 1 ½ to 2 ½ in. (3.8-6.4 cm) long and heart-shaped to elliptical. Some varieties have variegated leaf colors. Flowers are violet to blue (possibly white) in color, 1 ½ to 2 in. (3.8-5.1 cm) wide, and 5-petaled. Bigleaf periwinkle invades open to shady forests often around former plantings at old homesites. It forms dense and extensive mats along forest floors that exclude native vegetation. Bigleaf periwinkle is native to Europe and was first introduced into North America in the 1700s as an ornamental. It is still commonly sold as an ornamental ground cover. |
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Identification, Biology, Control and Management Resources
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| Selected Images from Invasive.org | View All Images at Invasive.org |
 Feature(s); vines with new growth in April James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); Both regular and variegated varieties shown on right compared to common periwinkle on left James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Feature(s); vine and leaves closeup in April James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); Flower (side view) and vines in April James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); Common compared to Bigleaf flowers Summer Barry Rice, sarracenia.com, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Plant(s); in flower Chris Evans, River to River CWMA, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Flower(s); habit Forest & Kim Starr, U.S. Geological Survey, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Infestation; Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
 Seed(s); Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org Additional Resolutions & Image Usage |
| EDDMapS Distribution: This map is incomplete and is based only on current site and county level reports made by experts and records obtained from USDA Plants Database. For more information, visit www.eddmaps.org |
 State(s) Where Reported invasive. Based on state level agency and organization lists of invasive plants from WeedUS database. |
