Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Madagascar
Types
-
Purple vinca, Vinca, cherry red, strawberry color
Number of Varieties
230
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-119-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Pink, Magenta, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Keep ground moist, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune ocassionally
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
Botrytis Blight, Canker, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
Intestinal gas, Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Chest pain, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Sore throat, Tooth ache, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
CATHARANTHUS roseus
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Madagascar Periwinkle, Periwinkle, Vinca
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Vinca
In German
Red Cardinal
Vinca
In French
Cardinal rouge
Vinca
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Vinca
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Vinca
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Vinca
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Vinca
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
Galium
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Gentianales
Family
Fabaceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Catharanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
1051
1
27800
👆🏻