Vinca (Catharanthus roseus)

Just learned these are Tropical/Sub-Tropical ...

I have tried twice to do these from seed without success and my favourite Garden Center had them in toda so bought three today to put in one large pot ...

 

I've grown the species in the past but this year I'm also growing the bedding type as a trial in our dodgy climate.
Mine are still a lot smaller than yours.
If they come good I think they are a plant that should be grown more, never seen them in a garden centre here.

 

Very pretty ... I've never heard of these -

 

It grows in Barbados @Victoria, known there as African periwinkle. We had some in our garden, the flowers are slightly scented if I remember correctly. It has medicinal properties but is also toxic.

 

Oh, dear, I will have to keep them out of the garden entirely!!! ... most of my plants are noxious to cats!!!

 

Wow, I just sown them to try growing the first time.

 

Not quite as compact as the bedding ones and more like a small shrubby plant, only seem to get pink and a few white ones as well, this is from 2023. I've yet to find a pest that attacks these, even immune to RSM.

 

It is yours that got me interested in them Pete.

 

The chemical compounds they contain should keep them pest free. A possible slug proof plant then .

 

Probably.

Worth bearing in mind they are perennial so if you over winter some on the window sill they get off to a flying start the following year.
Probably survive outside for you @Victoria or with just some slight protection .

 

So far I have never frost protected anything, not even the Hibiscus. But I do put the Adeniums in The Baffa in the Winter. The last frost I remember was 2009.

 

Yes, I'd give these the same treatment as the adeniums, I've not tried over wintering in my greenhouse which is just frost free, I keep them in the conservatory which is a minimum of around 10c over night.
They are quite tender regarding temperature.

 

Mine have been slow, but a lot of that is due to the state of the compost I was using early in the spring, all had to be repotted into a different compost and then growth was slow to get going, but looking half decent now with a nice variation in colours.

How are yours going @Victoria.

 

Those look nice and healthy Pete. Lovely colours. I like the diddy one,

Mine are doing fine but maybe I should have separated them. Will take a pic when I go out later. Are they the bedding or perennial?

 

They are bedding, but I'm hoping they are also perennial.