Vinca rosea is toxic to cats, dogs and horses. The reported severity is critical. Also known as Madagascar Periwinkle and Periwinkle.
This plant is known to be potentially deadly!
If your animal ate this plant, call your veterinarian, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control on (888) 426-4435 or the Pet Poison Helpline on (855) 764-7661. Fees may apply.
Vomiting Diarrhea Low Blood Pressure Depression Tremors Seizures Coma Death
The color of each symptom follows the severity scale above.
Catharanthus roseus, commonly known as bright eyes, Cape periwinkle, graveyard plant, Madagascar periwinkle, old maid, pink periwinkle, rose periwinkle, is a perennial species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae. It is native and endemic to Madagascar, but is grown elsewhere as an ornamental and medicinal plant, and now has a pantropical distribution. It is a source of the drugs vincristine and vinblastine, used to treat cancer. It was formerly included in the genus Vinca as Vinca rosea.
C. roseus can be extremely toxic if consumed orally by humans, and is cited (under its synonym Vinca rosea) in the Louisiana State Act 159. All parts of the plant are poisonous. On consumption, symptoms consist of mild stomach cramps, cardiac complications, hypotension, systematic paralysis eventually leading to death. According to French botanist Pierre Boiteau, its poisonous properties are made known along generations of Malagasy people as a poison consumed in ordeal trials, even before the tangena fruit was used. This lent the flower one of its names vonenina, from Malagasy: vony nenina meaning "flower of remorse".
Also recorded as Billygoat Weed, Cape periwinkle, Churchyard Blossom, Madalena Blanco, Old Church Blossom and Old Maids Olleander.
More from the Apocynaceae family:
Countries with the most wild observations, from GBIF data.