Vinca
Vinca is a flower in the Apocynaceae family. It grows best in full sun with dry to medium moisture, and is listed for USDA zones 2-13. Plants reach maturity about 98–105 days after planting and sit about 12 inches apart.
Varieties
2 from True Leaf Market · sorted by days to maturity▸Mediterranean XP Series98–105 days
Non-GMO; Container; Annual
98-105 Days to maturity. Catharanthus roseus ’Mediterranean XP Series’. Mediterranean XP Series Vinca Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, annual. Premium Quality Seeds. Mediterranean XP vinca seeds grow one of summer's most exciting bedding, trailing, and hanging plants. This variety was specially selected for its dense growth and trailing habit that makes it perfect for hanging baskets in regions with hot summers. Mediterranean XP seeds promise your home or garden elegant bicolored vincas with sharp, contrasting petals of either white, strawberry, rose halo, polka dot, or mixed. They grow in many gardens, are tolerant of heat and drought, and are an easy way to add refined, long-lasting color. About 21,000 seeds per ounce.
View on True Leaf Market ↗▸Pacifica XP Series98–105 days
Non-GMO; Container; Annual
98-105 Days to maturity. Catharanthus roseus. Pacifica XP Series Vinca Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, annual. Premium Quality Seeds. Pacifica XP seeds easily grow into convenient, tidy, and low-maintenance vincas bursting with unique, overlapping 2-inch blooms. Pacifica XP vincas thrive in diverse climates ranging from arid and dry to wet and sweltering. Pacifica XP seeds mature into tight compacts ideal for indoor decorative planters, pots, or hanging baskets. Pacifica XP vinca seeds in your garden are guaranteed to attract butterflies and other essential pollinators while repelling pesky deer all season long.
View on True Leaf Market ↗
Plant spacing
In a square-foot bed, space vinca about 12 in apart — that fits 1 plant in each 1-foot square (1×1). Wider rows or containers space the same.
Plan your vinca planting
Add vinca to a free GardenDraft plan and get sow, transplant, and harvest dates computed for your ZIP code — with a drag-and-drop bed layout and reminders when it’s time to plant.
Start your free plan →At a glance
Growing timeline
Care & troubleshooting— extension-sourced, with citations
When to feed, prune & water
Attract beneficial insects and protect pollinators
Protection- Routine carePlant insectary flowers and tolerate light pestsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Grow a diversity of flowering plants (including small-flowered umbels and asters) to feed predators and parasitoids, and tolerate low pest numbers so natural enemies have prey to stick around.
- Routine careNever spray open bloomsstrong evidence — extension confidence
Avoid insecticides on flowering plants and apply any needed sprays in the evening when pollinators aren't active, and favor selective products over broad-spectrum ones to spare bees and beneficials.
Support monarchs on milkweed
Care- Routine careTolerate aphids; never spraymoderate evidence — extension confidence
Milkweed feeds monarch caterpillars and pollinators, so skip insecticides entirely. Oleander aphids look alarming but rarely harm the plant — knock them off with a water jet or wipe them off by hand and leave the rest for the butterflies.
Something looks wrong?
Describe what you see on your vincaand we'll rank the likely causes — most likely first, least-invasive fix first.
Aphids
Pestlow- CulturalBlast off with water· every 3 days · ~2 wksstrong evidence — extension confidence
Knock colonies off with a strong jet of water in the morning; repeat every few days. Light infestations rarely need more.
- OrganicInsecticidal soap - label use only· every 1 wk · ~3 wksmoderate evidence — extension confidence
For persistent colonies apply insecticidal soap to undersides per label. Avoid open flowers.