1/10

Bright Eyes

4.8 out of 5 (19 experiences)

Blooms easily

Large, lush leaves

About Bright Eyes

Madagascar periwinkle is an evergreen, erect-to-spreading perennial that grows to 4 feet tall. It blooms all summer from July through September, only stopping at frost. It is resistant to deer and rabbits. It can be used as a ground cover in beds and for bedding and borders in drought tolerant gardens, butterfly gardens and recreational play areas.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Catharanthus roseus

Genus

Catharanthus

Family

Apocynaceae

Order

Gentianales

Also known as

Cape periwinkle, Graveyard plant, Madagascar periwinkle, Old maid, Pink periwinkle and Rose periwinkle

How to care for Bright Eyes

💦 Water

How often to water your Bright Eyes

Bright Eyes needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Bright Eyes in your home

Bright Eyes love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Bright Eyes does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Bright Eyes in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Bright Eyes

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Bright Eyes: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Bright Eyes after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #BrightEyes

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Bright Eyes is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!

Common Bright Eyes Problems →

💦 Water Needs

Bright Eyes prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Bright Eyes Water Frequency →

Bright Eyes Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Bright Eyes requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Bright Eyes Light Requirements →

Bright Eyes Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Bright Eyes is not safe to consume. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.

Bright Eyes Toxicity to Cats →

Bright Eyes Toxicity to Humans →

💨 Humidity

Bright Eyes doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

Bright Eyes Humidity Needs →

🪴 Soil

Bright Eyes does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Bright Eyes →

When and How to Successfully Repot Bright Eyes →

💩 Fertilizer

Bright Eyes should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Bright Eyes →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Bright Eyes grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

How and When to Prune Bright Eyes →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Bright Eyes can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Bright Eyes Temperature Tolerance →

🌱 Propagation

The seeds of Bright Eyes can be used to grow new plants! After your plant flowers, any seeds that formed can be collected and germinated in potting soil.

How to Propagate Bright Eyes →

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Care Summary for Bright Eyes

Bright Eyes

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 1ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Blooms easily 13

Large, lush leaves 10

Fast grower 8

Survivor 5

Easy to propagate 2

Browns easily 1

@@Flowerpower0303

0 Plants

121 XP

Tucson, AZ

12/29/2021

Easy to take care of

Large, lush leaves

Bright Eyes plant photo by @Flowerpower0303 named Your plant on Greg, the plant care app.

@@sparklewink

10 Plants

340 XP

09/11/2021

Idk what I’m doing wrong but this plant continuously tries to die on me. Needs to be watered constantly and needs to be rotated constantly. So high maintenance.

Bright Eyes plant photo by @sparklewink named Raquel and Liz on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Bpaige1020

5 Plants

132 XP

Minden, LA

08/24/2021

Super pretty and brightly colored!

Large, lush leaves

Blooms easily

Survivor

Bright Eyes plant photo by @Bpaige1020 named Maya on Greg, the plant care app.

@Liam

2 Plants

58 XP

Tucson, AZ

08/07/2021

This plant is a very pretty plant with colors from white to pink to magenta, but one thing to know about this plant is that the flowers can be poisonous in different amounts. This plant can also automatically pop off its flowers for a new bloom. This plant is also grows fast. Once it starts growing pods for the seeds there is a chance for a new plant.

Blooms easily

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Browns easily

Bright Eyes plant photo by Liam named Madagascar periwinkle on Greg, the plant care app.

@@brenna.n0

1 Plants

138 XP

07/17/2021

it’s super cute i gotta say

Blooms easily

Bright Eyes plant photo by @brenna.n0 named Lola on Greg, the plant care app.

@@daira

4 Plants

1,838 XP

Starkville, MS

06/08/2021

I love the big beautiful flowers on this plant!! and it’s leaves are the perfect fresh green :) it makes me smile everytime i look at it!

Large, lush leaves

Blooms easily

Bright Eyes plant photo by @daira named Barbie on Greg, the plant care app.

@@leiloojustine

15 Plants

473 XP

Kingman, AZ

05/21/2021

If you’re looking for a pretty plant, doesn’t require much light, and safe for animals this is her ladies !!!!!!! bought less than a week ago and she’s already so luscious

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Blooms easily