There are roughly a dozen vinca species, but Vinca. minor and Vinca. major are the most commonly used as effective ground covers by home gardeners. These two perennials share many similarities, and both serve as stellar, minimal care ground covers. Vinca quickly fills problem areas in the landscape with stems that root readily when their nodes come into contact with the ground. V. major, the bigleaf periwinkle, and V. minor, or common periwinkle, both have pretty blue or violet-blue flowers and bloom prolifically in the spring. More sporadic flowering continues throughout the summer.