Vinca major

The most reliable field mark is the leaf: glossy, dark green, leathery and opposite on the stem, with a fringe of fine hairs along the margin. The leaves are nearly round at the base of the stem and narrow to a point at the tip, measuring 3 to 9 centimeters (about 1 to 3.5 inches) long and 2 to 6 centimeters broad. Each leaf stalk is hairy and 1 to 2 centimeters long.

The flowers grow singly from the leaf joints. Each has five lobes, is violet-purple and measures 3 to 5 centimeters across. The green calyx at the base of each flower is 10 to 17 millimeters long and has hairy edges. Flowers appear from early spring into autumn.

The plant is trailing and vine-like, so it is usually recognized by its low, spreading habit rather than by an upright form. Its close relative Vinca minor is similar but smaller, with narrower leaves that are hairless.

Vinca major is native to southern Europe, where it grows from Spain and southern France east to the Balkans. It also occurs in northeastern Turkey and the western Caucasus, and the native range includes Italy, Sardinia, Sicily, Crete, Bulgaria, Albania and Lebanon-Syria.

In its native range, it favors moist undergrowth, woodlands, hedgerows and banks along rivers. It grows from sea level up to about 800 meters (2,625 feet) above sea level.

The plant tolerates a wide range of light. It grows well in full sun and also thrives in deep shade, which helps explain why it can persist in many kinds of woodland edge and garden settings.

Outside its native range, it has become established in many parts of the world, including large areas of the United States, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina, Mexico and Great Britain. Sightings of the plant peak in spring.

Vinca major is a perennial that trails along the ground. Its stems root where they touch the soil, so a single plant can spread into a dense mat. Individual plants can cover an area of 2 to 5 meters (about 6.5 to 16.5 feet) across.

The stems usually stand up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) high, and in some cases may reach 50 to 70 centimeters (20 to 28 inches). Because the foliage stays green all year, the cover remains in place through winter.

The plant is classed as a forb or herb, and it also grows with a vine habit. Its long, flexible stems allow it to climb or drape over low obstacles where space allows.

Birds are the most notable animals that feed on Vinca major. Songbirds, including the common redpoll and the skylark, are among the main eaters, and game birds, ducks and pigeons also take its plant material. Insects of the true bug order, Hemiptera, are another main group of feeders. Smaller groups of moths and butterflies, along with hoofed mammals and geese, also feed on it.

Bees are its most frequent visitors. Honeybees and several bumblebee species, including the large earth bumblebee, visit the violet flowers, along with solitary bees such as the hairy-footed flower bee. Hoverflies and other flies, along with moths and butterflies, visit less often. Visits by these insects do not confirm pollination.

The plant needs moist soil and a stable setting. Its presence in woodlands, hedgerows and riverbanks shows how it fits into the cover that these habitats provide for wildlife.

Vinca major is a common ornamental plant in temperate gardens. Gardeners grow it for its evergreen foliage, its spring flowers and its value as a ground cover or trailing vine.

Many cultivars exist, differing in flower color from white to dark violet and in the patterns and colors of their variegated leaves. The cultivar 'Variegata' has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

The plant contains the alkaloids vinblastine, vincristine, vindesine and vinorelbine. These compounds are the reason the plant is often studied by researchers and chemists.