Golden Creeping Jenny
Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'
Height: 4 inches
Spacing: 18 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 2
Other Names: Moneywort
Description:
A spectacular groundcover choice, vigorous yet not overly aggressive, with uniquely paired bright golden leaves all season and attractive yellow flowers throughout the summer; almost indestructible, a colorful groundcover for shady sites.
Ornamental Features
Golden Creeping Jenny is smothered in stunning lightly-scented gold cup-shaped flowers along the stems from late spring to mid summer. Its attractive round leaves remain gold in color throughout the season.
Landscape Attributes
Golden Creeping Jenny is a dense herbaceous perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It is a good choice for attracting bees to your yard. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
- Spreading
Golden Creeping Jenny is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover
- Container Planting
- Hanging Baskets
Planting & Growing
Golden Creeping Jenny will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 18 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in partial shade to full shade. Keep it well away from hot, dry locations that receive direct afternoon sun or which get reflected sunlight, such as against the south side of a white wall. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It may require supplemental watering during periods of drought or extended heat. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in both summer and winter to conserve soil moisture and protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.
Golden Creeping Jenny is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.