The vinca vine is an evergreen vine with a slender trailing stem, that usually does not exceed a height of 8 to 30 inches. However, it is a fast growing plant that can spread quite rapidly over the ground in a short period of time. This is the reason why it is enlisted as an invasive vine of the Southeastern United States, by the U. S Department of Agriculture. The long and slender stem roots at the nodes at places where it touches the ground. This gives the plant a strong support to spread across a large area.
The plant produces simple flowers in spring and throughout the summer. Its flowers are small and delicate, and are usually violet in color. But occasionally, vinca vines are found to produce white blossoms as well. The plant also produces dry fruits that rupture to release the seeds. The major and the minor vinca can be distinguished by the appearance of their leaves. The minor vinca is found with uniformly green foliage, while the major or variegated vinca is characterized by green foliage, edged with a creamy white border.