Great Groundcover: Creeping Jenny Golden - Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'

[@zachwhalen7079]

I love the way the creeping jenny looks with the hardy geraniums. I think it’s so cool when people take the time and care to maximize the fullness of a garden not just horizontally/outward, but also vertically, in-between other plants, etc. Creates such a lush and vibrant feeling, great vid Devin. :)

[@plantvibrations]

It certainly creates a new energy! Thanks for noticing

[@hirinijoseph]

Amazing garden Will look like an amazing jungle in 10 years

[@plantvibrations]

:)

[@jeffreyrossi5084]

Yes, I see this as a very overlooked ground cover. Years ago, I let the old green version loose in my lawn. It never gets higher than the grass itself and hugs the ground as it spreads, and it does give a certain amount of shade to the ground. The big bonus is the low buttercup like flowers that bloom in June. Some people don't like it but as they say the right plant in the right place.

[@plantvibrations]

Agreed! You def need to be judicious with this but when correctly placed it does the job

[@yvonneuriarte2429]

Thank you for sharing this. I have a plan to do this in my boyfriend's yard if he like this video. I just love this.

[@plantvibrations]

just make sure not to give it overly good conditions or it will be aggressive

[@barbarawalsh2674]

Great information. So helpful. Thank you

[@plantvibrations]

So glad!

[@alang13]

I have several large areas with both the green and 'Aurea' varieties. I prefer the green but both are quite nice. They do tolerate wet areas very well...in fact, I have some just in front of two ponds and it grows like crazy. Some of it has spread over the pond edge, and thrives well on top of water (or partially submerged). I've noticed complaints on various Facebook plant groups about it being invasive, but it's shallow-rooted and VERY easy to pull up if you don't want it.

[@plantvibrations]

Thank you for sharing your experience growing them! That’s what makes this a fun community, everyone’s input!

[@jamesandrew4859]

Devin, thanks for that tutorial on creeping jenny. The creeping charlie that I have must be a close cousin. After pulling a lot of it up and planting grass, you have made me re-think that approach! What I may do is to let it spread and just do some occasional maintenance to limit where it can spread.

[@plantvibrations]

Perhaps have some borders to keep it in check as well

[@ParrotplaySix]

My Creeping Jenny flowered this year in my window boxes.

[@plantvibrations]

Cool!

[@doctim53]

I use this as a spiller in many of my containers. It’s not only beautiful it comes back every year. And it’s not the water hog that sweet potato vines tend to be.

[@plantvibrations]

Yes absolutely !

[@ParrotplaySix]

Same here, stopped using allot of the SP vines and started using the Creeping Jenny, plus I don't have to buy it as it comes back in my window boxes.

[@alice_rabbit8345]

Mine are planted with some blue hostas, it looks great!

[@plantvibrations]

Very nice!

[@margaretchiodo-keller4495]

This past spring I got my first creeping jenny plant from my local nursery. I planted it in a hanging basket by itself, and had it growing on my patio. It was doing very well, and looked great. Then I developed herniated discs in both my back and neck. Suffice it to say my gardens did not get the normal daily care that I usually give them. Unfortunately, the creeping jenny died from lack of proper watering and care, even though my husband tried to take care of it. I am in Physical Therapy now and hoping I will be back up on my feet and into my gardens next spring. I will try again next spring.

[@plantvibrations]

Oh no!! I’m sorry you’ve been going through so much pain :(

[@meredith3588]

Great information. I've been trialing this in a few places. I was a bit leery since I planted asiatic jasmine in many places and it was so beautiful for the first two years and then became a thug. It was a beast to rip out and I never want to repeat that again! lol I love how deep your front beds are, that looks so in proportion to your home. I wish I had thought of that before I did a stacked stone wall.

[@plantvibrations]

you definitely want to be judicious where you decide to plant this, bc it can be thuggish if given overly optimal conditions

[@fransak2723]

I put some in a couple of years ago and it died back after the first season. It may have been a different variety. I will look for Aura.

[@rosemariedangelo-smith1942]

We have an embackment behind our house leading to a wooded area. I'd like to plant something to hold the soul. I don't care if it spreads everywhere. Thoughts?

[@plantvibrations]

This is definitely an option for that sort of circumstance, it should spread in the shade without taking over completely

[@bill8985]

L nummularia is not native... and once you have it, it's hard to contain. Within Lysimachia, if you are on the west coast, try L. latifolia - Western Starflow, or if east of the Mississippi, try L. borealis - Maystar. There are also many wonderful sedges that grow low to the ground and are awesome groundcovers (e.g. Carex pensylvanica or C. plantaginea.)

[@plantvibrations]

Yes you are correct

[@bill8985]

@@plantvibrations Appreciate the reply. I do like your vids and have subbed for quite a while. But in my old age I've become an native plant curmudgeon - as we really need native plants in each of our regions to support pollinators, which in turn support the bats and birds, etc.

[@gordonissocoollike]

You didn’t mention it’s yellow flowers

[@plantvibrations]

True!

[@gretawillkinson4954]

This is NOT a “good” ground cover. It is VERY evasive and will take over and almost impossible to get rid of! It’s very terrible plants!

[@plantvibrations]

Are you referring to the green or the golden one? the green one is invasive, the yellow one is not nearly as aggressive

[@linguaphile42]

OMG, this plant is the bane of my existence!!! NOT a native, and it is invasive and trying to take over everything! Please take this video down! Just a bit of root and you have a whole new patch. Yes, it does well -- that's what non-native invasive species do! I never planted this in my yard, just had it in a pot, and it leapt to the garden and is now all through my lawn. So I can use clippings from my lawn anymore, because it will spread these roots. It's a nightmare. Doesn't even go away with Round-Up, which I NEVER want to use. I've tried smothering it out with plastic -- nope! Please be forewarned that this plant is not good for the environment and will be all you deal with after a while. Most of Devin's advice has been really good, but this is wrong!

[@plantvibrations]

Are you referring to the golden one or the straight species? The straight species is invasive, like I mentioned, and the golden one is definitely very agressive in certain garden conditions

[@bjbrown6488]

This may be invasive in her Zone but it surely isn't in mine. This is great information and for me in western Colorado creeping jenny is a real blessing in Sun and shade!

[@linguaphile42]

@@plantvibrations I believe it's the golden because of its color, but it was so long ago that this started that I can't be sure. Do you have tips for getting it out of my lawn? It's edging toward the woods, and all the rain we've had lately isn't helping.