Creeping jenny

Care at a glance

Overview

Sold as a stem plant but it naturally creeps, so in the midground it sends up rounded-leaf stems that lean and trail rather than standing straight. It grows well in cooler water and tolerates low light without CO2, though stronger light, CO2 and decent nitrate keep the leaves small and richly coloured (the 'Aurea' form turns yellow-green to gold). Trim and replant tops to propagate; it does best in temperate tanks and can sulk in warm water. Because it is invasive in North American wetlands, never release trimmings outdoors, bin them.

In the wild

Native to damp ground, ditches and stream margins across Europe and into western Asia, where it sprawls as a low creeping groundcover with round paired leaves. It has been widely introduced as a garden plant in North America and has escaped into wetlands, where it is listed as invasive in parts of the US and Canada (including the Great Lakes region).

Good to know

A creeping perennial in the primrose family Primulaceae, related to the loosestrifes (Lysimachia). The species name nummularia means coin-shaped, referring to the round leaves. The golden-leaved cultivar 'Aurea' is the form most often sold for aquariums and paludariums.

Did you know

Did you know it is the same plant gardeners grow as a hardy groundcover? It happily lives fully underwater, in a bog, or as a dry-land creeper, which makes it a favourite for paludariums where a single plant can grow up the hardscape and down into the water.

Related plants

• 

  Water violet

  Hottonia palustris

  High lightMidground15.7 in (40 cm)

• 

  Brookweed

  Samolus valerandi

  High lightForeground5.9 in (15 cm)

• 

  Lake cress

  Rorippa aquatica

  Medium lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)

• 

  Lobelia cardinalis

  Lobelia cardinalis

  Medium lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)

• 

  Ludwigia brevipes

  Ludwigia brevipes

  High lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)

• 

  Ludwigia sphaerocarpa

  Ludwigia sphaerocarpa

  High lightMidground11.8 in (30 cm)