Overview
There are many species of Lysimachia used as ornamental plants. Golden creeping Jenny, the cultivar ‘Aurea’ of the low-growing species L. nummularia (= L. zawadzkii), makes a nice addition to containers and can be used as a colorful groundcover. This European species is considered a Restricted invasive species in Wisconsin, and only the yellow cultivar ‘Aurea’ is acceptable to plant.
This genus was traditionally placed in the primrose family (Primulaceae), and was reclassified to in the Myrsinaceae. Currently, the Myrsinaceae family was recently redesignated as the subfamily Myrsinoideae in the Primulaceae.
Other common names include moneywort, herb twopence, and occasionally creeping Charlie (not to be confused with the lawn weed Glechoma hederacea also commonly called creeping Charlie). This herbaceous perennial is hardy in zones 3a to 9b.
The creeping plants produce small, rounded leaves with wavy edges oppositely along the thin, trailing stems. The orbicular leaves are smooth and often shiny – resembling a string of small coins – with a few glandular black dots if you look closely. The almost-evergreen foliage of the cultivar ‘Aurea’ is yellow, ranging from lime green to soft chartreuse in shade, through golden yellow in partial or dappled shade, to a brassy gold in full sun (it may burn out in more southern areas in full sun).
The stems grow vigorously, forming slender fibrous roots where leaf nodes come in contact with the soil. This creates a dense mat 2 to 4 inches tall growing chaotically in all directions.
Single, bright yellow, cup-shaped flowers are only occasionally produced in the leaf axils. Each 1 inch flower has 5 petals with dark reddish glandular dots, all set in a hairless green calyx with 5 triangular teeth shorter than the petals.
The plants bloom intermittently from early summer through fall, although this cultivar does not seem to bloom consistently (and sometimes forms just vegetative colonies that never bloom). Because the flowers are not dramatically different in color than the foliage, they are also not as conspicuous as on the green species. Seed capsules do not form readily, so ‘Aurea’ does not spread by seed as readily as the species.
Landscape Use of Golden Creeping Jenny
Use golden creeping Jenny carefully, to be sure it will not crowd out other plants in the garden. It makes a nice groundcover with tulips and daffodils, filling in the space once the bulbs’ leaves die back for the season. As it can overgrow other short plants, situate it appropriately. It makes a nice underplanting beneath roses or other shrubs and around daylilies, ferns, and tall perennials.
It makes a great contrast with dark-leaved plants, such as ‘Amethyst Myst’ or ‘Palace Purple’ Heuchera, or mingling with purple ajuga. Use it as a color echo with lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis), a chartreuse or golden hosta such as ‘Sun Power’ or ‘Sum and Substance’ or a chartreuse cultivar of ornamental sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).
Use golden creeping Jenny as a trailing plant in containers, window boxes, or hanging baskets, or plant it where it can cascade over a wall or bank. It can be used in ponds, water gardens, or marginal areas along waterways (as long as there is no danger of it escaping into natural areas) in shallow (up to 2 inch deep) water where it provides habitat for frogs, insects and small fish.
L. nummularia ‘Aurea’ can be planted almost any exposure from full sun to light shade, in moist soils. For the best color, situate the plant so it receives morning sun. It is rather shallow-rooted (so is fairly easy to dig out should it move into an area where it is unwanted), and does best with regular watering. It thrives in damp soils where other ground covers often cannot survive.
Creeping Jenny has few pests, although in some places slugs may attack the leaves and nearly completely defoliate the plants when high populations are present. The plants will look unsightly but the plants will usually survive.
Propagating Golden Creeping Jenny
This plant is very easily propagated by division (removing rooted chunks near the edge of a patch) or from cuttings. It readily roots at nodes, so it may require persistent weeding to remove all of it from an area.
Author: Susan Mahr, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Reviewers: Allen R. Pyle, Horticulture Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison Extension, Bruce Spangenberg, Horticulture Outreach Specialist, UW-Madison Extension
Revised: September 2026
