Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Madagascar
Europe, Russia
Types
Purple vinca, Vinca, cherry red, strawberry color
Symphytum officinale (common comfrey), Symphytum asperum (rough comfrey)
Number of Varieties
302
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Cold Regions, stream banks
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-156-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
-
Sunset Zone
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
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm20.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink, Magenta, Rose
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Orange Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Red, Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Red, Dark Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Transplanting
Root Division, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Water daily during growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune ocassionally
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
14-14-14 Fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, can go long without fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Botrytis Blight, Canker, Crown rot, Pythium rot, Root rot
Aphids, Stem spot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shallow soil, Sun
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
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Ants, Butterflies, pollinators
Allergy
Intestinal gas, Nausea, Vomiting
Antibacterial, Peripheral Edema
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Beautiful Skin, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Chest pain, High blood pressure, Inflammation, Sore throat, Tooth ache, Wounds
Asthma, Diarrhea, Obesity, Osteoarthritis
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves, Twigs
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CATHARANTHUS roseus
Symphytum asperum
Common Name
Madagascar Periwinkle, Periwinkle, Vinca
Comfrey,Black Root, Blackwort, Bruisewort
In Hindi
Vinca
Blackwort
In German
Vinca
Blackwort
In French
Vinca
Blackwort
In Spanish
Vinca
Blackwort
In Greek
Vinca
Blackwort
In Portuguese
Vinca
Blackwort
In Polish
Vinca
Blackwort
In Latin
Galium
Blackwort
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Lamiales
Family
Apocynaceae
Boraginaceae
Genus
Catharanthus
Symphytum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Boraginoideae
Number of Species
5135
1
27800
👆🏻