Vinca sp.
Periwinkle, Periwinkle
(c) Louis Aureglia, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Louis Aureglia · licence
Family: Apocynaceae · Type: Perennial · Not Native
Vinca sp. (Periwinkle) is a non-native California perennial in the Apocynaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Catharanthus: Vinca has asymmetric pinwheel petals and trailing stems; Catharanthus has symmetric flat-faced flowers and upright bushy growth.; vs Lonicera: Vinca has five separate flat petals in a pinwheel; Lonicera has tubular flowers with upper and lower lips.; vs Trachelospermum: Vinca has blue-purple flowers and trails on ground; Trachelospermum has white star-shaped flowers and climbs vigorously.; vs Hedera: Vinca has showy blue-purple flowers; Hedera has tiny greenish flowers in rounded clusters.; vs Brunfelsia: Vinca trails flat on ground with small leaves; Brunfelsia grows as upright shrub with much larger flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Vinca sp. native to California?
No. Vinca sp. is not native to California (recorded as not native).
What plant family does Vinca sp. belong to?
Vinca sp. is in the Apocynaceae family, genus Vinca.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.