Family: Primulaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 148 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Lysimachia
Vegetable: False
Observations: Europe to SW. Siberia and NW. Türkiye
Description
Creeping-jenny, known scientifically as Lysimachia nummularia, is a low-growing, mat-forming perennial herb native to a wide geographic range stretching from Europe across to southwestern Siberia and northwestern Türkiye. This leafy plant is a member of the Primulaceae family and was first cataloged by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 within his seminal work “Species Plantarum.”
Characterized by its vibrant green to yellow, rounded leaves, Creeping-jenny features slender, trailing stems that root at nodes and can extend across a landscape. It is particularly valued for its ground-covering capabilities, excellent for creating dense mats that help to suppress weeds. During the blooming period, typically in late spring to early summer, this plant produces small, star-shaped yellow flowers that add a cheerful splash of color to gardens and natural areas.
Creeping-jenny thrives in moist, well-drained soils and performs well under full sun to partial shade conditions. It is often used in ornamental gardens, where its vigorous growth habit makes it suitable for hanging baskets, rock gardens, and as a filler in mixed borders. Moreover, it is equally effective in naturalizing areas along stream banks and woodland edges due to its ability to tolerate wetter environments.
Despite its many positive attributes, it’s crucial to manage Creeping-jenny with care, as its aggressive growth can sometimes lead to it becoming invasive, potentially crowding out less robust plant species. Gardeners must monitor its spread and implement containment strategies when necessary to maintain a balanced and diverse garden ecosystem.
In summary, Creeping-jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) offers both aesthetic and practical benefits for gardeners and landscapers, provided that its growth is thoughtfully managed. Its adaptability to various conditions and its ability to enhance green spaces make it a valued addition, deserving careful inclusion in both cultivated and wild garden settings.
Common Names
Eng: creeping jenny, creeping-jenny, moneywort, creeping yellow loosestrife, creeping loosestrife
Dan: pengebladet fredløs
Deu: pfennig-gilbweiderich, pfennigkraut
Nno: krypfredlaus
Nob: krypfredløs
Fra: lysimaque nummulaire, herbe-aux-écus, monnayère
Swe: penningblad, suikeroalpi, penningarv
Nld: penningkruid
Fin: suikeroalpi
Cym: canclwyf, ceinioglys, ceinioglys cernyw, dwygeinioglys, llys y ffynnon, siani lusg, trewynyn ymlusgaidd
En: Creeping-Jenny, Moneywort, Creeping jenny, Creeping joan, Herb Two-pence, Meadow Runagates, Running Jenny, String of Sovereigns, Twopenny Grass, Wandering Jenny, Wandering sailor, Herb twopence, Twopenny thot, Creeping yellow loosestrife, Creeping loosestrife, Two penny Grass
Ar: لوسيماخس نقدي
Be: Лазаніца манетчатая
Bg: Кръглолистно ленивче
Zh: 钱叶珍珠菜
Hr: Metiljeva trava
Cs: Vrbina penízková
Da: Pengebladet Fredløs
Nl: Penningkruid
Eo: Monerfolia lizimakio
Et: Roomav metsvits
Fi: Suikeroalpi
Fr: Herbe aux écus, Lysimaque nummulaire, “Lysimaque nummulaire, Herbe aux écus”, Nummulaire, Herbe-aux-écus, Monnayère, Monnoyère
De: Egelkraut, Kriechende Lysimachie, Münzkraut, Natternkraut, Pfennigkraut, Rundblättriger Gilbweiderich, Pfennig-Gilbweiderich, Nattergold
Hu: Pénzlevelű lizinka
Io: Numulario
Ga: Lus an dá phingin
It: Erba soldina, Mazza d’oro minore, Quattrinaia, Erba argentina, Erba degli scudi, Erba monetaria, Quattrinella, Erba-Soldina, Mazza-d’Oro minore
Lt: Šliaužiančioji šilingė
Ml: ലൈസിമചിയ നമ്മുലേറിയ
No: Krypfredlaus, Krypfredløs
Nb: Krypfredløs
Nn: Krypfredlaus
Fa: لیسیمچیا نامولاریا
Pl: Tojeść rozesłana
Ru: Вербейник монетный, Вербейник монетчатый, Луговой чай
Sk: Čerkáč peniažtekový
Es: Hierba de la moneda
Sv: Penningblad, Suikeroalpi, Penningarv
Zh-tw: 錢葉珍珠菜
Tr: Karga otu
Uk: Адамове ребро, Барвінок дикий, Вербозілля лучне, Вербозілля лучний чай, Повій жовтий
Cy: Siani lusg, Canclwyf, Ceinioglys, Ceinioglys Cernyw, Dwygeinioglys, Llys y Ffynnon, Trewynyn Ymlusgaidd
Synonyms
- Lysimachusa nummularia ((L.) Pohl)
- Lysimachia nummularia f. longipes ((David) V.Nikolić)
- Nummularia repens (Gilib.)
- Lysimachia suaveolens (Schönh. ex Garcke)
- Nummularia prostrata (Opiz)
- Ephemerum nummularia ((L.) Schur)
- Nummularia centimorbia (Fourr.)
- Lysimachia nummularia var. festiva (Bélézé)
- Lysimachia nemorum (Geners. ex Roem. & Schult.)
Distribution
- Albania (native)
- Altay (native)
- Austria (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Belgium (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- France (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Ireland (native)
- Italy (native)
- Krym (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- North European Russi (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Norway (native)
- Poland (native)
- Romania (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Ireland (native)
- Italy (native)
- Krym (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- North European Russi (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Norway (native)
- Poland (native)
- Romania (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- West Siberia (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- British Columbia (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Colorado (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Delaware (introduced)
- District of Columbia (introduced)
- Finland (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Alabama (introduced)
- Arkansas (introduced)
- British Columbia (introduced)
- California (introduced)
- Colorado (introduced)
- Connecticut (introduced)
- Delaware (introduced)
- District of Columbia (introduced)
- Finland (introduced)
- Georgia (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Iowa (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Maine (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Masachusettes (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Minnesota (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- Nebraska (introduced)
- Illinois (introduced)
- Indiana (introduced)
- Iowa (introduced)
- Kansas (introduced)
- Kentucky (introduced)
- Louisiana (introduced)
- Maine (introduced)
- Maryland (introduced)
- Michigan (introduced)
- Minnesota (introduced)
- Mississippi (introduced)
- Missouri (introduced)
- Nebraska (introduced)
- New Brunswick (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- Nova Scotia (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- Pennsylvania (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
- Prince Edward I. (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Rhode I. (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- Tasmania (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Washington (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
- New Brunswick (introduced)
- New Hampshire (introduced)
- New Jersey (introduced)
- New York (introduced)
- North Carolina (introduced)
- Nova Scotia (introduced)
- Ohio (introduced)
- Ontario (introduced)
- Oregon (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
- Prince Edward I. (introduced)
- Québec (introduced)
- Rhode I. (introduced)
- South Carolina (introduced)
- Tasmania (introduced)
- Tennessee (introduced)
- Vermont (introduced)
- Virginia (introduced)
- Washington (introduced)
- West Virginia (introduced)
- Wisconsin (introduced)
Additional Images
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Leaf
Taken Jun 13, 2021 by Sid Martin (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 4, 2020 by alessandro guerra (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 26, 2021 by Peter Vohwinkel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 8, 2021 by Manu_ (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 19, 2021 by Schilling Annette (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Jul 26, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 10, 2020 by alain Herbuel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 23, 2020 by Gabriele Klug (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 3, 2021 by Martin Malec (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 10, 2020 by alain Herbuel (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Sep 14, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 28, 2020 by Dieter Albrecht (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 26, 2021 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 3, 2021 by Vicky pageau (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 10, 2020 by alain Herbuel (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Jun 25, 2022 by Anne Marie Laming (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 2, 2017 by Lisa J (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 29, 2018 by Hannah mountford (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 22, 2021 by Fabienne fehrenbach (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 19, 2022 by Horst Jaße (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Jun 17, 2015 by Tela Botanica − Dominique REMAUD (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 1, 1970 by Photoflora – L’Abbé COSTE (©)
Taken Dec 31, 1847 by Tela Botanica − Herbier PONTARLIER-MARICHAL (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 26, 2022 by David Laloi (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 20, 2020 by Mendoza morelia (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Nov 2, 2022 by René Breuer (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3169379)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Lysimachia nummularia L.)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:701260-1)
Specifications
Growth habit: Forb/herb
Growth
Ph maximum: 6.5
Ph minimum: 5.5
Light: 5
Atmospheric humidity: 7
Bloom months: [‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’]
Soil nutriments: 6