# creeping Jenny (*Lysimachia nummularia*) Creeping Jenny is a cheerful plant with bright yellow flowers and round leaves. It loves to grow close to the ground and can spread quickly, making it a fun addition to gardens and parks. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 15 - **Habitat:** Wetlands - **Also known as:** Lysimachia ![creeping Jenny](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Lysimachia_nummularia0.jpg&width=800) Photo: Kurt Stüber \[1\], CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lysimachia_nummularia0.jpg) ## Appearance The creeping Jenny has small, round, coin-shaped leaves that are a vibrant golden-green or chartreuse. It grows as a dense, low-lying mat, creating a bright carpet that stands out from darker foliage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Ericales - **Family:** Primulaceae - **Genus:** Lysimachia ## Interesting facts - Creeping Jenny can grow so fast, it often makes a dense, green carpet on the ground! - It's popular in water gardens, even growing beautifully with its roots submerged! - Its scientific name, 'nummularia', means "like a coin" because its leaves are so round! - People sometimes call it "moneywort" because of its bright, coin-shaped leaves! ## Special abilities - **Rooting Wonder:** Creeping Jenny can grow new roots from its stems wherever they touch the ground, helping it spread fast and anchor firmly. - **Water Lover:** Creeping Jenny has roots that can thrive even in very wet soil, letting it live happily near ponds and streams. - **Sunshine or Shade:** Creeping Jenny can adapt to growing in both sunny and shady spots, making it a very versatile plant. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-10 cm - **Spread:** 30-100 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to mid-summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** Mild - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Eats:** [garden snail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-snail) (*Helix aspersa*) — graze on its soft leaves - **Eats:** mallard duck (*Anas platyrhynchos*) — forage on aquatic growth ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Fall Color](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fall-color): Fall color refers to the seasonal change in foliage pigmentation, primarily in deciduous plants, displaying vibrant hues. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify creeping Jenny? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is creeping Jenny? 5-10 cm ### How wide does creeping Jenny spread? 30-100 cm ### How big are the flowers on creeping Jenny? 1-2.5 cm ### When does creeping Jenny bloom? Late spring to mid-summer ### Is creeping Jenny edible? No ### Is creeping Jenny toxic? Mild ### What is creeping Jenny's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Colonial Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colonial-park) — New Jersey, US · Park - [Glastonbury Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glastonbury-historic-district) — Connecticut, US · Historic District - [Kal-Haven Trail](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kal-haven-trail) — Michigan, US · Trail - [Parc linéaire de la rivière Saint-Charles](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parc-lin-aire-de-la-rivi-re-saint-charles) — Québec, CA · Park - [Rockdale Common Housing District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rockdale-common-housing-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District [View all places to see creeping Jenny](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/creeping-jenny) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [creeping Jenny: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/creeping-jenny)