Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is a species of flowering plant in the primrose family Primulaceae. Its common names include; moneywort, creeping jenny, herb twopence and twopenny grass. The genus Lysimachia is native to Eurasia, and consists of around 150 herbaceous or evergreen perennials, as well as shrubs, all of which prefer growing in damp situations, in semi-shade to sun, and in humus rich soils, which drain well. They are common in fens, wet woods, lake shores, and river banks almost throughout Europe.

Due to the creeping growth habit of Lysimachia nummularia this perennial rarely grows taller than 5cm, but can reach considerable widths, quickly forming carpets along the ground and clamouring over stones and rocks. The Latin name "nummularia" means 'like a coin', in reference to the oval shape of the glossy leaves; and hence the common name "moneywort. This plant has been renowned as a wound healer since medieval times and has also been used in Chinese medicine to treat gallstones.

The foliage of creeping jenny remains evergreen in all but hard winters, and the European species (Lysimachia nummularia) with its lovely bright green leaves can be invasive. It has been introduced to many countries like North America where it is now considered an invasive species in some areas, as under favourable conditions such as on low wet ground, or near ponds, it spreads very aggressively, and is quite difficult to remove by hand pulling because any tiny piece left behind will regrow. For this reason, planting this green type is not recommended.

However, the yellow cultivars like 'Aurea' are much less aggressive and suitable for judicious use in ornamental plantings. Lovely bright yellow cup-shaped flowers appear in summer; however, in South Africa flowering can be erratic or non-existent with the yellow forms. Seed capsules do not form readily, so ‘Aurea’ does not spread by seed as readily as the green type will.

Several other Lysimachia species and cultivars like Lysimachia procumbens 'Golden Globes' that displays clusters of bright yellow flowers above glossy green foliage; Lysimachia congestiflora 'Outback Sunset' with its gorgeous broadly ovate green leaves splashed with pale yellow and golden flowers; and the heat tolerant Lysimachia congestiflora 'Midnight Sun' with its attractive deep purple foliage and golden flowers, to name a few, are all really charming. However, in South Africa ‘Aurea’ is the easiest one to find.

Click here to see Google images of 'Golden Globe'

Click here to see Google images of 'Outback Sunset'

Click here to see Google images of 'Midnight Sun'

Golden Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea')

'Aurea' is the most popular cultivar to use as a groundcover as it is somewhat less aggressive than the other species. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. The foliage is broadly yellow, ranging from lime-green to soft chartreuse if grown in quite a lot of shade, transitioning to a more golden yellow in semi or dappled shade, or a brassy gold in full sun. In very hot regions full sun is not recommended as this will often burn the foliage.

Click here to see Google images of ‘Aurea’

Lysimachia 'Aurea' Image by Jan Haerer from PixabayIn the Garden:

Use golden creeping jenny carefully to be sure it will not escape from cultivation or crowd out other plants in the garden. This fast-growing plant is incredibly easy to grow and adds colour and a softening of any hard edges wherever it's planted. For these reasons, you might consider planting creeping jenny in containers where it can become an elegant, sweeping plant that hangs over the edges of tall pots or hanging baskets, and doesn't threaten to invade the garden. When designing your containers pair it with taller plants that it won't smother, and contrast it with dark green foliage and brightly coloured flowers.

Creeping jenny is a very useful plant to grow between pavers and stepping stones, and can tolerate light foot traffic. If it can be controlled it makes a wonderful border or groundcover for large shady beds and is a great filler for large rock gardens and rock walls. In small gardens it is not always a good choice for borders, or if planted too close to lawns, as it can spread too aggressively.

It makes a good groundcover with spring flowering bulbs like tulips and daffodils, filling in the space once the bulbs die back for the season. If watered well it also does well under roses, and it complements most shade plants like coleus, begonias, hydrangeas, gardenia, hosta, lady’s mantle, heuchera and all kinds of ferns. The golden foliage of creeping Jenny is particularly striking when combined with darker colours or taller plants.

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Because it loves moist sites, as long as there is no danger of it escaping into natural areas,  it is perfect alongside the edges of streams and ponds, and it can even be grown in a couple of centimetres of water, where it provides a habitat for frogs, insects, and small fish. Those who own an aquarium can even keep creeping jenny in the water, as long as the temperature of the water does not exceed 25°C. In an aquarium, it tends to grow upward, toward the light, rather than creeping along the bottom.

Cultivation:

Creeping jenny grows well almost throughout South Africa, from the coast to the cold hinterland. It thrives in regions with high summer rainfall, and although it is particularly associated with damp or even wet areas where it flourishes in semi-shade, in cultivation it will tolerate drier conditions, and can even grow in full sun if the soil is kept consistently moist.

This groundcover is not recommended for very hot and arid regions unless it is given shade, and can be watered regularly. In these regions it would be easier to cultivate it in pots or high water zones of the garden. In the winter rainfall regions of the country it does well if watered regularly in summer.

Creeping jenny can struggle in very hot and humid regions, but if it is planted in a sunny but cooler part of the garden, in fertile soil with excellent drainage, and the plants are well spaced out so they receive maximum air flow they can do really well. Watering very moderately during very humid spells, and doing so early in the day will ensure that the leaves do not remain wet for long, thus encouraging fungal diseases.

Creeping jenny is very hardy and easily survives lows of -1°C, and will even tolerate temperatures as low as -10°C, but in these regions the plant will go completely dormant in winter, only to sprout again in spring.

This accommodating little groundcover is tolerant of most garden soils, as long as they are relatively well-draining, be they acid, alkaline or neutral. Nutrient-rich, loamy-sandy soil is preferred, and excessively sandy or rocky soils are not ideal as they do not have high fertility and don’t retain much moisture.

Prune the plant down hard in spring and feed with a balanced organic fertiliser to encourage lush new growth. This is especially important if you are growing it in a pot.

Problems, Pests & Diseases:

If creeping jenny is happy where it is growing it suffers from very few serious pests or diseases.

Slugs and snails may creep in between the foliage and take a few nibbles, but in some places slugs may attack the leaves and nearly completely defoliate the plants when high populations are present. If this is the case, remove them by hand by hunting at night with a torch when they are most active, or by setting a trap. Beer traps work well and will draw snails from other parts of the garden too. Simply dig a bucket or tray into the ground at the soil level and fill it with a can of beer. The snails will be attracted into the bucket by the smell of the beer, where they drown in the liquid.

If you are incredibly unlucky you may find aphids or caterpillars settling on your plants, but usually these bugs prefer tastier morsels in the garden. If you do discover any, simply remove them by hand and place them in a bucket of soapy water. You can also apply horticultural oil to the foliage to suffocate the bugs and prevent any eggs they may have laid from hatching.

Also watch out for red spider mites, leafminers, whiteflies, mealybugs, and thrips.

Creeping Jenny doesn't usually have problems with diseases, but during cold or hot, very rainy conditions, or if it's located in a very humid environment, it may fall prey to fungal diseases like rust and leaf spots, both of which can be treated with an organic fungicide. Planting in a more sunny and open position with good air flow, and also pruning often to improve airflow, and removing any diseased or dying branches as soon as they are spotted will help control the development of these diseases.

Warning:

Pet owners do not need to worry about creeping jenny as it is non-toxic for pets or humans, and is still used as a medicinal plant.