Creeping Jenny is Lysimachia nummularia, the Golden Jenny is L. nummularia 'Aurea.' They are the same plant with different leaf colors, and the golden one runs just as rampant as the green one. I grow it in an area that is contained by the house on two sides and concrete walkways on the others. I make sure to keep it pulled where it tries to root itself in the stuff that collects in the sidewalk joints, and every spring when it starts to leaf out, I go over the whole bed and rip it out by the handful, as much of it as I can until there is nothing of any size left to grab on to. A month later, it's lush and beautiful. In an uncontained area, I'm not sure there's any effective way to curb its spread, as even the tiniest piece of root or stem starts a new plant.

- Steve

thanks for your input steve. that's too bad that the golden jenny is just as invasive as 'creeping'. based on what you said though, it sounds like if you do a little routine maintenance now and again, that the plant can be manageable. would you agree? for example, if i want to confine the plant to a 4' x 4' area - could i achieve this with intermittent maintainence?

thanks buddy!
bobby~

I have both the gold and the green leafed Creeping Jennys, and have found both of them to spread at the same rate. I do not find it to be particularly invasive though, but that may only be because it is colder here. They spread by the stems, which take root from lying ontop of the ground. Giving these stems a 'haircut' everyonce and awhile may help to curb its spreading. But its also pretty easy to use an old knife or a trowel to dig up what you dont want.
CMK

I have the golden planted under a mature maple tree. The two thugs duke it out & the battle for water & nutrients has kept the Jenny from overrunning its boundaries. I actually really enjoy the stuff. One does need to be vigilent though & periodically grab a handful & just give it a good yank. I would call it an aggressive spreader but not invasive as in it will take over your native areas via seeds spread by birds, etc.

/tricia

While both can be aggressive spreaders - that's the nature of a good groundcover - I'd not consider either invasive. The growth habit is not what is generally considered 'invasive' in the correct use of the word - displacing native plants in a natural environment. And both are very easy to remove where not wanted. Simply rip up the little rooting stems. Even in my mild and often damp zone 8, this plant is very easy to control, much more so than many other common groundcovers.

Another point about creeping jenny, it's a great addition to containers, trails like chartreuse sweet potato vine, & at the end of the season, you can put it out in the yard...In my yard, it spreads a bit, but I wouldn't call it invasive...

I use it here and there as a groundcover, but I'd never consider it invasive or particularly agressive. It's very easy to control.

This (L. nummularia) is a terrible weed in my woodland (and my gardens). It is on a number of state invasive species lists (see link below).

-Caroline

Here is a link that might be useful: lysimachia nummularia

I have it in a bed bordered by rock steps and it keeps trying to escape through the steps. But it's easy to remove - the golden form is not only more decorative but easier to spot. I use it in an area where the oil man drags his hose every winter - doesn't bother it a bit. It's an underplanting for roses, phlox, iris....

I would second "thistle5"s suggestion as a container addition, but I've found a twist. I have several large potted clematis that I overwinter, quite successfully, in my unheated garage (I'm in Zone 4). Last year, as a means of adding color interest, I planted some L. nummularia 'Aurea' around the base of the clematis. I was happy to find this spring that the 'Aurea' overwintered right along with the clematis and is happily rambling around the base of the potted clemmies this spring. The color contrast is great!

- Becky

I love it - it is such a contrast from the darker leafed plants. While is can be a thug I just pull it out of places that I don't want it - it got into the brick walkways of my cottage garden but a shot or two of Roundup took care of that and didn't kill the plant in the garden beds......

Lynne

Mine spreads like crazy too. But I just pull out what I don't want and plant it in my aquarium, where it does very well. A lot of people don't know that this plant can grow completly submerged, and is sold as an aquarium plant! It looks stunning in my tank, its much brighter than most aquatic plants. Just thought that was an interesting fact I haven't read on this thread yet. -Jessica

If I may hijack for a moment: someone at a swap gave me a plant she called Lysimachia punctata, but when I looked it up I saw it couldn't be that as L. punctata is hairy-stemmed.

This plant looks exactly like a slightly more upright version of L. nummularia "Aurea" -- the growth pattern of a mint, say, as opposed to being completely prostrate like "Aurea". The leaves are similar but larger. Does this describe the straight species Lysimachia?

Thanks,

Kristin

As with all other plants it could be a right plant for a right place
{{gwi:223081}}

When withered foliage of spring bulbs is gone Aurea provide nice ground cover for otherwisw would be bare spot. Of course, area is contained.
Don't have picture handy, but 100% agree that it's a great addition to containers.

I planted creeping jenny - the golden one - with some pavers. 3 years later - it hasn't even filled in at all. and it doesn't look golden either - got more dark greenish.
Not sure what I'm doing wrong - but it is about the same size as when I planted it, about 12 plugs along 15'

I use an edging shovel (shovel with a straight bottom edge) to cut attractive edgings that whimsically curve through and around your other plantings,or I also using my string trimmer to create crisp edges. The garden really looks good when Jenny has clean edges which is really easy to do….I don’t find it to be burdensome to create this look.