{"product_id":"vinca-minor-illumination","title":"Illumination Periwinkle","description":"\u003cp\u003eVinca minor 'Illumination' (Vinca minor 'Illumination') is a breathtakingly luminous, golden-variegated periwinkle that transforms the familiar lesser periwinkle into a year-round foliage spectacle of striking, almost electric visual presence. Each small, glossy leaf is boldly splashed with a vivid, bright golden-yellow center — a wide, radiant central blaze surrounded by a rich, deep green margin — creating a two-toned variegation of extraordinary clarity, consistency, and luminosity that lights up shaded borders, woodland edges, and ground cover plantings with a warm, glowing brightness that few foliage plants of any kind can rival. While 'Bowles Cunningham' earns its place through the vivid, jewel-toned blue of its flowers, 'Illumination' is an entirely different and complementary plant — a foliage-first periwinkle whose golden radiance provides sustained, year-round ornamental brightness that performs in every season, not just at bloom time.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis professional-grade 4\" plant arrives with a healthy, well-established root system cultivated through professional horticultural practices — ready to establish and spread into its characteristic trailing, rooting habit. 'Illumination' excels as a luminous ground cover beneath established trees and tall shrubs, as a vibrant edging plant along shaded pathways, as a brightening accent in woodland garden compositions, and as a dramatic container trailing subject where its vivid golden foliage cascades over the edges of pots and raised planters with genuine, year-round visual impact. Bright violet-blue flowers appear above the variegated foliage in spring, adding a classic, high-contrast seasonal floral accent to the already spectacular year-round foliage display.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBrilliantly Luminous Golden-Variegated Foliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bold golden-yellow leaf centers surrounded by rich deep green margins create a two-toned variegation of extraordinary clarity and year-round luminosity — one of the most radiant and visually striking variegated foliage ground covers available, lighting up shaded positions with warm, almost electric brightness across all four seasons.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eYear-Round Evergreen Foliage Interest:\u003c\/strong\u003e The brilliant golden variegation persists through all four seasons on evergreen trailing stems — providing continuous, luminous ground coverage and sustained ornamental presence in shaded and partly shaded positions regardless of season, bloom cycle, or weather conditions.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpring Violet-Blue Flowers on Golden Foliage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Classic bright violet-blue periwinkle flowers emerge above the spectacular golden foliage in spring — creating a vivid, high-contrast seasonal floral accent that complements the warm golden tones of the variegated leaves with striking, botanically elegant contrast.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eExceptional Shade Tolerance:\u003c\/strong\u003e Thrives across conditions from full shade beneath established trees to bright filtered light — an indispensable solution for difficult low-light positions where reliable, luminous, year-round ground coverage is needed and most variegated foliage plants struggle to maintain their color and vigor.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWeed-Suppressing Trailing Ground Cover:\u003c\/strong\u003e Trailing, freely rooting stems spread steadily to form a dense, weed-suppressing evergreen carpet that anchors the soil on shaded slopes and banks — a beautiful, luminous, and functionally valuable ground cover that improves in density and radiant coverage with each successive season.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThese 4\" healthy live plants thrive in partial shade to full shade with average, well-drained to moderately moist soil; tolerates a wide range of soil types. Best golden variegation develops in bright filtered light or morning sun — deep shade reduces the intensity of the golden color. Water regularly during establishment, then reduce to low to moderate irrigation. USDA Hardiness Zones 4–9; mature height: 4–6 inches; spread: 18–36 inches. Bloom time: spring. Trim lightly in early spring before new growth emerges to refresh the planting and maintain a tidy, vigorous habit.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Planted Places","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48154410516694,"sku":"2VINCIL4","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0293\/2496\/8075\/files\/VINCA_minor_Illumination.png?v=1776988967","url":"https:\/\/www.plantedplaces.com\/products\/vinca-minor-illumination","provider":"Planted Places","version":"1.0","type":"link"}