Creeping Jenny

Scientific Name: 
Lysimachia nummularia

Bell-shaped, yellow flowers and heart-shaped leaves are the defining characteristics of Creeping Jenny - a low-growing perennial that creeps through damp grasslands, pond margins, riverbanks and wet woodlands. It flowers from May to August and is most prevalent in the south of the UK. A popular garden plant, Creeping Jenny is good for pond margins and bog gardens, preferring shade to full sun.

How to identify: 
Creeping Jenny has sunshine-yellow, cup-like flowers that are borne on stalks branching out from the main stem. Its heart-shaped or rounded leaves appear in opposite pairs up the length of the stem.
Where to find it: 
Very common in Wales and southern England, scattered elsewhere.
How people can help: 

Human activity, including the drainage of land for agriculture and development, has resulted in the disappearance of many of the UK's wetlands. The Wildlife Trusts are working closely with planners, developers and farmers to ensure our wetlands are protected. You can help too: add native plants and flowers, such as Creeping Jenny, to a wildlife-friendly pond and its margins, and provide shelter for amphibians and nectar for insects. In partnership with the RHS, The Wildlife Trusts' Wild About Gardens initiative can help you plan your wildlife garden.

Statistics: 
Height: up to 15cm
Conservation status: 
Common.
Did you know?: 
Creeping Jenny can be distinguished from its close relative, Yellow Pimpernel, by its much rounder leaves and more robust flowers. The flowers of Yellow Pimpernel are star-like.
Seasons: 
Spring
Summer
When to see
Start date: 
May
End date: 
August
Image: 
Creeping Jenny and common frog - Richard Burkmar