Vinca and Climbing Hydrangea

Vinca minor vine, the perennial ground cover with the cute common name of "periwinkle flower," is widely used as a ground cover in areas where lawn grasses just will not work. Grown in zones 4 through 8, Vinca minor vine requires good drainage. This shade-loving ground cover has traditionally been planted under large trees, where most lawn grasses would quickly have given up due to insufficient light.

Vinca minor vine is a short plant, growing only 3 to 6 inches off the ground, but its trailing stems with evergreen leaves spread up to 18 inches. The stems root at the nodes as it creeps along the ground and spreads rapidly to form an attractive ground cover. Vinca minor vine puts out bluish-lavender periwinkle flowers in spring and may bloom a bit more here and there during the summer.

Periwinkles are another invasive plant. If this is a problem for your region, use hosta plants instead.

A more versatile vine for shade is climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala ssp. petiolaris). It, too, can be used as a ground cover. But it is a much larger plant than Vinca minor, and it has a greater number of uses. For example, some owners of brick homes grow it up against their house walls. It is suitable for zones 4 through 7.