Lysimachia nummularia (syn. Lysimachia zawadzkii Wiesner) is a low, creeping plant of the
genus Lysimachia. It is commonly called Creeping Jenny, Moneywort, Herb Twopence and
Twopenny grass.
genus Lysimachia. It is commonly called Creeping Jenny, Moneywort, Herb Twopence and
Twopenny grass.
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| Lysimachia nummularia |
image source: http://www.kurtstueber.de/
Distribution
It is native to Europe, but has been introduced to North America, where it is considered an invasive species in some areas. It aggressively spreads in favorable conditions, such as low wet ground or near ponds, but is usually easily removed by hand pulling. It is available for planting in North America as a horticultural item, and is usually offered as an accent plant, but must be used with care because it can spread rapidly and crowd out other plants. It makes a nice ground cover where the range of its growth can be limited, producing yellow flowers in early summer. The plant is cold hardy in the continental United States and much of Europe, surviving lows of -40 degrees F.
Characteristics
The cultivar 'Aurea' (golden creeping Jenny) has yellow leaves, and is somewhat less aggressive than the species.
Traditional uses
Moneywort is used in herbalism for healing wounds.[citation needed] The plant contains a number of phenolic acids. In traditional Chinese Medicine, Lysimachia (whole plant) is used to treat stone lin syndrome, which encompases gall stones and urinary bladder stones. Some practitioners are using this herb to battle painful gout symptoms.
image source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Lysimachia_nummularia1.jpg
