What Causes the Leaves of Periwinkles to Yellow?
Periwinkle (Vinca minor) is a low-growing flowering plant with glossy green leaves. The flowers bloom in shades of purple, white and blue in spring. Periwinkle grows no taller than 6 inches and spreads in all directions, making it an attractive garden ground cover. When the leaves of periwinkle turn yellow, it's an indication of unhealthy growth that may be caused by pests, fungus or other problems. Does this Spark an idea?
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Culivation
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Periwinkle grows best in partial shade, producing deeper, more attractive leaf color, but it will grow in full sunlight. More flowers blossom on periwinkle when it's planted in full sunlight. Plant periwinkle in well-drained, moist garden soil. When the plant is healthy and in ideal growing conditions, foliage is deeply colored and rich green in tone. Yellow discoloration of leaves, even in small patches, indicates a problem with the plant.
Pests
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Aphids are one of many pests drawn to periwinkle plants. Aphids feed on leaves and buds, sucking out nutrients from the foliage. Leaves turn yellow and brown as aphid damage increases and often curl up and become distorted. Aster leafhoppers create white and yellow spots on periwinkle leaves. The leaves wilt and fall from the plant as leafhopper populations increase around the plant. Treat pest infestations with insecticides and prune away all affected areas of the plant to manage damage.
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Fungus
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Foliar blight is a fungal infection, spread by spores, that may strike periwinkle plants. When foliar blight is present, small yellow spots appear on the undersides of leaves. Spotting eventually spreads to the entire leaf, which yellows and drops from the plant. The blight spreads from the leaves to the stem, killing entire sections of the plant. Cut away all areas of the plant affected by foliar blight, and treat periwinkle with fungicide to control further spread of the fungus.
Pets
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Periwinkle, like many ground covers, may be affected by pets. Dog urine is a danger to many ground covers, as it discolors foliage and causes leaves to wilt. The urine may even kill leaves entirely. Keep dogs away from periwinkle to avoid this problem.
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