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Landscaping with Myrtle: The Sorcerer's Violet

Image Credit:
Photo by Nicholas A. Tonelli: Wikimedia Commons
Written By: George and Becky Lohmiller

Myrtle (Vinca spp.) is among the hardiest of evergreen ground covers, hardy to Zone 4 and growing as far north as Canada. It can be invasive in certain areas.

Myrtle, Also Called Vinca or Periwinkle

Its bright-green leaves darken with the season, sometimes taking on a bronze tone under the winter sun. Lavender-blue or white flowers appear in the spring and sporadically all season.

  • Spring and early fall are considered the best times to plant myrtle.
  • It prospers in dappled sunlight but will also grow in full sun and even in dense shade.
  • Use it instead of mulch under trees and shrubs to control weeds, or plant it in difficult-to-mow areas. Myrtle’s tenacious root system makes it an ideal choice for controlling erosion on steep banks.
  • Prepare the ground by tilling in a one-inch layer of peat moss or compost and an application of complete 5-10-5 fertilizer to a depth of six inches.
  • Space the young plants or divisions about eight inches apart. When you are finished, soak the entire planting, and mulch the area lightly with pine needles or bark.
  • Water and weed the planted area frequently during its first season. Soon new shoots will spread out and root into the spaces between the plants, spreading joy all over the ground.

Myrtle Folklore: The Sorcerer’s Violet

A thousand years ago, the sorcerer’s violet, what we now call periwinkle, vinca, or myrtle, was shrouded in superstition:

  • English herbalists believed that the trailing evergreen ground cover could be gathered only on the 1st, 9th, 11th, or 13th day of the Moon by a person cleansed of all impurities.
  • Those who carried the plant believed that they were protected from the devil and safe from the bites of rabid dogs and venomous serpents.
  • The Scots named this powerful plant joy-of-the-ground. They believed that marital bliss would be ensured if the leaves were ground to powder and taken at meals in a freshly picked houseleek that contained worms. (We have a hunch that a lot of Scottish couples endured unhappy marriages rather than brave the cure.)
Landscaping

About The Author

George and Becky Lohmiller

George and Becky Lohmiller

George and Becky Lohmiller shared their gardening knowledge and enthusiasm with Almanac readers for more than 15 years, writing Farmer’s Calendar essays and gardening articles in previous editions of ...

Read more from George and Becky Lohmiller

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Comments

<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Fri, 05/23/2014 - 10:43

Once periwinkle is established it will likely kill any future growth of weeds and grass on the hill. Established grasses are harder to smother and the periwinkle will compete with the grass for nutrients in the soil. You probably will have better luck with the plants that you planted in the area without any grass. The plants will show lots of growth next spring.

 <span>Mark Nobescare</span> Fri, 05/23/2014 - 13:34
excellent. thanks. i'll put down landscape fabric this weekend and wipe out the rest of the grass rake it up and put in the additional periwinkles.
<span>Mark Nobescare</span> Wed, 09/03/2014 - 13:35
I have since turned the whole lawn over and replanted the periwinkle. I've also added about another 50 plants. so in total about 75 to 100 clumps of periwinkle 2' apart on a 25'x43' slope. Any idea on how long before I get full coverage. also planted 5 tamaracs and have some fruit trees on the slope and have planted some day lilies and hostas.
<span>Tim Bode</span> Sat, 05/10/2014 - 08:34
I live in northern West Virginia. I have a bank that is in need of a ground cover. It's very steep and hard to mow or even use the string trimmer. I thought that Myrtle may be a good solution. If I used Preen weed fabric with mulch on top (when I first plant the Myrtle) would it still be able to spread? I was hoping that the new shoots could penetrate the fabric and by the time it was well established, it would choke out any weeds.
<span>Cindy Skok</span> Fri, 05/02/2014 - 08:41
I had vinca minor in my old home and loved it. My new home has lily of the valley as ground cover. If I plant vinca, will it eventually take over the invasive lily? I live in Michigan.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 05/05/2014 - 17:18

It's hard to say. We've seen Vinca minor co-mingle with pachysandra just fine. Vinca is lower than the lily-of-the-valley, and might possibly be shaded out if the lily-of-the-valley was especially happy where it was (although that didn't seem to trouble the vinca when with the slightly taller pachysandra). Both lily-of-the-valley and Vinca minor can be invasive, so it's difficult to say if one might take over or if they would be both happy. It might depend on the growing conditions. If you'd prefer the vinca win, you could help it along by removing as much lily-of-the-valley as you can (or at least snipping the leaves to weaken the plant). Anyone else have experience with this combo?

 <span>Cindy Skok</span> Tue, 06/17/2014 - 10:25
I'm going to give it a try. I removed some lilies of the valley and planted the myrtle. So far the myrtle is doing nicely, It will probably be next year before I can see any results with the myrtle spreading into other areas. Thank you for your suggestions.
<span>Paul Duhamel</span> Sat, 11/23/2013 - 20:10
What species of myrtle will grow best in Richmond Hill, Ontario? About 20 miles north of Toronto.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 05/05/2014 - 16:57

It looks like Vinca minor is hardy in your area, but can also be invasive. You might ask a local garden nursery to see what species and cultivars they offer.

 <span>Barb Beals</span> Wed, 11/06/2013 - 17:41
In the past, we have found our myrtle is mow-able. However, we didn't get to it earlier this year. It is now higher than we'd like, and we're wondering if it would be better to mow now, or next spring. We'd like to have some of those blossoms our bumble bees like so much and wonder if we mow now(November) if we'd still see blossoms next spring. And thanks for this opportunity to ask.