Repotting guide

When & how to repot Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' (Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea')

Also called Golden Creeping Jenny, Golden Moneywort.

More about lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'

About Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'

Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' · also called Golden Creeping Jenny, Golden Moneywort · flowering

Golden Creeping Jenny is the chartreuse-leaved cultivar of moneywort, prized for its glowing lime-to-gold foliage that lights up shady damp corners and spills from containers. Round coin-shaped leaves on rooting prostrate stems carry the same yellow summer cups as the species. Leaf colour is most vivid in good light; it deepens to green in heavy shade.

Mature size: 5-10 cm tall, spreading 45-60 cm or more per plant and continuing to spread by rooting stems.

Watch for — Leaf scorch: Golden foliage burns more readily than green forms when roots are dry in strong sun. Keep soil moist and shelter from blistering afternoon sun in hot regions.

How to tell lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For lysimachia nummularia 'aurea', watch for these signs:

Roots spiralling thickly out of the drainage holes or pushing the whole plant up out of the pot.
The pot is so packed that water runs straight through in seconds and barely wets the soil.
It has split a plastic pot, or the rootball is a solid mass with almost no soil left when you slide it out.
Growth and (for lysimachia nummularia 'aurea') flowering have clearly stalled despite good light and feeding — but remember this plant likes being snug, so a little crowding alone is not a reason to repot.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'

Only every 2–4 years, when genuinely crowded. Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' is one of the plants that genuinely prefers a snug pot — it grows and flowers better with its roots a little restricted, so resist the urge to repot it on schedule. Prostrate, mat-forming and stoloniferous, identical in habit to the species: rooting runners form a dense golden carpet and trail handsomely over pot rims and walls..

What size pot to step lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' up to

Go up only one pot size — roughly 2–3 cm (about an inch) wider in diameter, no more. Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' positively prefers a snug pot: it flowers and grows better when the roots are a little restricted. The single biggest repotting mistake here is over-potting — dropping lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' into a pot two or three sizes up. All that surplus soil holds water the small root system cannot use, stays cold and wet, and rots the roots within weeks. When in doubt, choose the smaller pot.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'

Early spring, just as new growth restarts, is the ideal window for lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'. The plant is moving into its strongest growth phase and re-roots into fresh soil quickly. Avoid repotting in winter dormancy or, for flowering plants, while it is in bud or bloom — recovery is slowest then and you risk dropping the flowers.

Step-by-step: repotting lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'

Confirm it actually needs it. Slide lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' out and check the roots. Only continue if it is genuinely packed — this plant prefers a snug pot, so if there is still soil and room, put it straight back.
Pick a pot only one size up. Choose a pot just 2–3 cm wider with good drainage. Resist anything bigger; over-potting is the main killer here.
Ease it out gently. Water lightly the day before, then tip lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' out, supporting the base. Tease the outer roots free only enough to stop them circling.
Repot at the same depth. Add a layer of fresh moist, fertile, humus-rich loam, set the plant so the soil line sits exactly where it did before, and backfill around the sides, firming lightly.
Settle it in. Water once to settle the soil, then let it sit. Hold off on more water until the top of the soil dries — fresh soil around a small root system stays wet for a while.

Aftercare

Because the new soil holds more water than the old crammed rootball did, ease right back on watering — let the top of the soil dry before you water lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' again, or you will rot the roots in the very pot you just moved it to. Keep it out of harsh direct sun for a fortnight. Do not fertilise for about 4 weeks — fresh mix already carries nutrients and feeding freshly disturbed roots scorches them.

The right soil mix for lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'

Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' wants moist, fertile, humus-rich loam. Any moisture-retentive soil suits it, from damp border loam to boggy clay and pond-edge mud. Enrich thin soils with compost to keep the foliage dense and well-coloured. Tolerant of a broad pH range. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'?

Only every 2–4 years, when genuinely crowded for lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'. Only repot lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' every 2–4 years, and only when it is genuinely root-bound — it flowers and grows best slightly crowded. Step up just one pot size in spring using moist, fertile, humus-rich loam. The key mistake is over-potting: a too-big pot stays wet and rots the roots.

What size pot does lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' need?

When is the best time of year to repot lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'?

Does lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' like to be root-bound?

Yes — lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' genuinely flowers and grows best when slightly pot-bound, so do not rush to repot it. The mistake to avoid is over-potting into a much larger pot: the excess soil stays wet, the roots cannot use it, and the plant rots. Only repot every few years and only one snug size up.

Should you fertilise lysimachia nummularia 'aurea' after repotting?

Not immediately. Wait about 4 weeks after repotting lysimachia nummularia 'aurea'. Fresh mix already contains nutrients, and feeding freshly cut or disturbed roots burns them. Resume your normal feeding routine once you see new growth.