California Invasive Plant Council

Vinca major

Synonyms: Vinca pubescenes, Vinca major var.variegata

Common names: periwinkle; bigleaf periwinkle; greater periwinkle; blue periwinkle; myrtle

Vinca major (periwinkle) is a spreading perennial vine or ground cover (family Apocynaceae) with dark green stems that contain milky latex. In California it is rapidly spreading in most coastal counties, foothill woodlands, the Central Valley, and even desert areas. Periwinkle has escaped from garden plantings, and lowers species diversity and disrupts native plant communities. Riparian zones are particularly sensitive. Fragments of periwinkle vines can break, wash downstream, and start new invasions.

Cal-IPC Rating: Moderate?

Explanation of Cal-IPC ratings

• High – These species have severe ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal and establishment. Most are widely distributed ecologically.
• Moderate – These species have substantial and apparent-but generally not severe-ecological impacts on physical processes, plant and animal communities, and vegetation structure. Their reproductive biology and other attributes are conducive to moderate to high rates of dispersal, though establishment is generally dependent upon ecological disturbance. Ecological amplitude and distribution may range from limited to widespread.
• Limited – These species are invasive but their ecological impacts are minor on a statewide level or there was not enough information to justify a higher score. Their reproductive biology and other attributes result in low to moderate rates of invasiveness. Ecological amplitude and distribution are generally limited, but these species may be locally persistent and problematic.
• Alert – An Alert is listed on species with High or Moderate impacts that have limited distribution in California, but may have the potential to spread much further.
• Watch – These species have been assessed as posing a high risk of becoming invasive in the future in California.

CDFA Rating: None?

Explanation of CDFA ratings

• A – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and is either not known to be established in California or it is present in a limited distribution that allows for the possibility of eradication or successful containment.
• B – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is of limited distribution.
• C – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is usually widespread.
• D – An organism known to be of little or no economic or environmental detriment, to have an extremely low likelihood of weediness, or is known to be a parasite or predator.
• Q – An organism or disorder suspected to be of economic or environmental detriment, but whose status is uncertain because of incomplete identification or inadequate information.
• * – An asterisk next to the rating indicates that a plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds.
• -* – This plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds, but is otherwise not rated.

More details

Assessment(s)

Plant Assessment Form - Information gathered by Cal-IPC on the impacts, rate of spread, and distribution of invasive plants in California. Does not include management information.

Species ID Card

Invasive Species ID Card - To support field identification of early detection species, Cal-IPC has designed a set of Species ID cards that can be downloaded, printed double-sided, and trimmed to size.

Weed Management Notes

• Management Notes - Information on management techniques and effectiveness from the University of California Cooperative Extension’s Weed Research & Information Center.

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

• Wildland Weed News. Cal-IPC. Vol 24, Issue 3
• PlantRight makes strides promoting non-invasive gardening and landscaping. Richardson, Greg; Merryweather, Jan. Vol 22, Issue 3
• Don’t sell a pest: A new partnership to prevent plant invasions through horticulture. Connick, Sarah; Gerel, Mike. Vol 13, Issue 2
• An island called Santa Cruz: Removing invasives on the Channel Islands. Owen, Ken. Vol 12, Issue 2
• BLM uses heavy equipment to give weeds the heave-ho!. Wheeler, Jennifer. Vol 08, Issue 2

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

• Mapping weeds and rare plants to inform management and conservation in the Zaca and Jesusita fires. Calloway, Stephanie; Schneider, Heather; Knapp, Denise (2018)
• Herbicide treatment techniques of Vinca major growing with endangered Galium buxifolium, an island endemic. Owen, Ken; McEachern, Kathryn (2010)
• A test of repeat flaming as a control for poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), Cape ivy (Delairea odorata), and periwinkle (Vinca major). Bossard, Carla; Moore, Ken; Chabre, Cammy; Woolfolk, Andrea; King, Jorden; Johanek, Dana (2005)
• Invasive plant control at California State Parks in the northern Sacramento Valley. Dempsey, Jim; Elliott, Woody (2005)
• Partnering to prevent invasions of plants of horticultural origin. Connick, Sarah; Gerel, Mike (2004)
• A decade of dune restoration at the Lanphere Dunes. Pickart, Andrea (2003)
• Preliminary results from a Vinca major removal experiment. Wright, Robert (1996)

Other Vinca major Information

• Bugwood - National database from the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
• CalWeedMapper - Distribution map of this species in California with ability to determine regional priorities.
• EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
• Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
• USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.

Additional photos