Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Lysimachia nummularia (Lysimachia nummularia)
Also called Creeping Jenny, Moneywort, Herb Twopence.
More about lysimachia nummularia
About Lysimachia nummularia
Lysimachia nummularia · also called Creeping Jenny, Moneywort · flowering
Creeping Jenny is a fast, ground-hugging perennial with round, coin-like leaves on prostrate stems that root as they run. Through summer it studs the carpet with cup-shaped, bright yellow flowers. Equally happy at pond margins, in damp borders, or trailing from containers, it is vigorous to the point of invasiveness in moist, fertile ground.
Preferred mix: Moist, fertile, humus-rich loam
Watch for — Invasive spread: Roots wherever stems touch moist soil and can swamp smaller neighbours or escape into lawns and waterways. It is listed as invasive in parts of North America; site it where it can be contained or grow it in pots.
Why lysimachia nummularia needs this mix
Lysimachia nummularia flowers hardest in a rich but free-draining loam — fed enough to fuel the display, open enough that the roots never waterlog.
- Flowering is expensive for lysimachia nummularia: producing buds, blooms and seed draws heavily on nutrients and steady moisture, so the soil has to keep delivering all season.
- A loam-based mix holds nutrients and water far more evenly than a light peat mix, which means a longer, more reliable flowering period.
- It still needs sharp drainage — most flowering plants resent cold, wet feet far more than they resent being a little lean.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons lysimachia nummularia struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- A thin, hungry or sandy mix gives lysimachia nummularia weak growth and few, short-lived flowers — it simply runs out of fuel.
- A heavy, badly drained soil rots the roots or crown, often over a wet winter, and you lose the plant before it ever flowers again.
- Over-rich, high-nitrogen mixes can push lush leaf at the expense of flowers — balance, not excess, is the aim.
Either starving lysimachia nummularia in a thin mix or drowning it in a heavy, badly drained one. It wants the rich-but-free-draining middle, plus a flowering (higher-potassium) feed in season.
pH — does it matter for lysimachia nummularia?
Most flowering plants, including lysimachia nummularia, do well around pH 6.0-7.0. A cheap soil test is worth it outdoors; one notable exception is any acid-lover (such as some hydrangeas), where pH directly changes flower colour.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A quality bagged compost works for lysimachia nummularia in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
Drainage and the pot
Free drainage protects the roots and especially the crown over winter — raised beds, grit in the planting hole and never a waterlogged spot. Containers must have a clear drainage hole.
For perennials, refresh the top layer and feed each spring rather than disturbing the roots; for container displays, start with fresh rich mix each season. When the time comes, our repotting guide for lysimachia nummularia covers the timing and technique step by step.
Lysimachia nummularia soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for lysimachia nummularia?
3 parts good loam or quality peat-free compost : 1 part well-rotted compost or leaf mould : 1 part grit or perlite. Flowering is expensive for lysimachia nummularia: producing buds, blooms and seed draws heavily on nutrients and steady moisture, so the soil has to keep delivering all season.
Can I use normal potting soil for lysimachia nummularia?
A thin, hungry or sandy mix gives lysimachia nummularia weak growth and few, short-lived flowers — it simply runs out of fuel. A quality bagged compost works for lysimachia nummularia in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
Does lysimachia nummularia need a special pH?
Most flowering plants, including lysimachia nummularia, do well around pH 6.0-7.0. A cheap soil test is worth it outdoors; one notable exception is any acid-lover (such as some hydrangeas), where pH directly changes flower colour.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for lysimachia nummularia?
A quality bagged compost works for lysimachia nummularia in pots if you add grit and a flowering feed. In beds, improving the existing soil with compost and ensuring drainage beats any bag.
How often should I refresh the soil for lysimachia nummularia?
For perennials, refresh the top layer and feed each spring rather than disturbing the roots; for container displays, start with fresh rich mix each season. Free drainage protects the roots and especially the crown over winter — raised beds, grit in the planting hole and never a waterlogged spot. Containers must have a clear drainage hole.
Keep reading
- Lysimachia nummularia care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water lysimachia nummularia — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting lysimachia nummularia — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
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