Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle) in Zone 5a & 5b

Catharanthus roseus

When to plant vinca (madagascar periwinkle) in zone 5b

Zones 5a and 5b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Start indoors: Start indoors from seed, then transplant outside. Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle) needs a head start most zones can't give it by direct-sowing alone.

Start indoors	Mar 1–Mar 8
Direct sow / transplant outside	May 24–May 31
Estimated bloom	Aug 12–Aug 19 (~80 days after transplanting)

Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 1-1.5 ft.

Vinca (Madagascar periwinkle, botanically Catharanthus roseus) is built for heat that stops other flowers cold. Growing In The Garden describes it as synonymous with hot weather in the low desert, blooming through Phoenix summers with little fuss once it's established, a low, 12- to 18-inch mound of flat, five-petaled pink, white, or red flowers, often with a contrasting eye at the center.

How vinca (madagascar periwinkle) fits zone 5's season

Zone 5b's frost-free window runs about 148 days, from May 10 to October 5. Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle) needs about 80 days from transplant to first harvest.

Good companions

No standout companions recorded yet for Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle).

Where to buy vinca seeds

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