Check out this site: http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/hortiscope/weed/creepjen.htm

thanks jpvt. I will start the eradication process. How frustrating.

Of course, I bought this plant as a newbie gardener at a very upscale nursery in West Hartford. I asked lots of questions about everything I was buying, and no one mentioned that it was invasive. The same nursery sold me trumpet vine as an alternative to clematis, but I wasn't stupid enough to plant it without looking it up first this time. Of course, when I saw how invasive it was I returned it. How do they get away with this? I love their selection of shrubs, but I won't be going back.

What nursery was it Paige? I live in Glastonbury and often frequent some WH nurseries. Gledhill, Moscarillo's? Hehee.

By the way, the website of Connecticut's Invasive Plants lists lysimachia nummularia as potentially invasive and mentions that there are cultivars that are not invasive. I have lysimachia congestiflora (Persian Chocolate) that I just purchased and LOVE. It is a new cultivar and I'm hoping that it is fine, but will certainly keep an eye on it. I do have the light-green lysimachia nummularia in a basket with annuals so it's contained that way.

Patty

Wow, Paige, this is definitely a wake-up call for me. I have a pot of golden creeping jenny. I kept it in a pot all last season, and had planned on doing so this year.

Then this spring, I noticed that part of it had rooted where I kept the pot (I think it trailed over the side last year and rooted then). The area I keep the pot is like yours - surrounded on all sides. It's only a roughly 3x5 area, with my patio on one side, and the curving driveway on another, and a sidewalk on the final side.

When I saw the new rooted growth here, I thought how pretty it looked and how it might be nice as a ground cover in this tiny area, and that this would be a nice safe spot for it. I almost planted out the pot of it here. But after reading how yours escaped it's paved confines, I think I will rip up the new growth and stick with the pot.

Good luck with your eradication efforts!
:)
Dee

It's been banned in MA, and is listed as "potentially invasive" in CT though not banned there.

Here is a link that might be useful: USDA CJ page

Patty, it was Gledhill. When I took the trumpet vines back I really gave them an earful. The guy who looked like the manager argued that they weren't that invasive (do a google search - - they can invade people's roofs!), and then tried to sell me honeysuckle instead. Idiot.

It is a beautiful nursery to look at, and their shrubs are excellent. Any suggestions for a better place to give my business to?

Dee, glad I was able to save you the pain! Maybe I'll get a pot and transplant it into that. I really do love the way it looks. And it doesn't flower in my shade garden, so I wouldn't have to worry about it traveling via seed.

Digging, thanks for the info. You would think, even if it hadn't been banned, that a good nursery would tell people that it can cause problems. Especially people like me who ask lots of questions.

Wow, that is eye-opening re. Gledhill. You're correct when you call it "upscale"; absolutely beautiful grounds. It certainly is a lovely place, and when my kids were young we spent many happy afternoons watching the miniature train, playing on the landscape and walking the grounds. But I, personally, have always wondered about the quality of the staff. (And the prices) In fact, as often as I've been there, and as addicted to plants as I am, I do not believe I have bought a single thing there! Interesting. I noticed it won "Best of Hartford" again this year, though. Hmmmm.

I don't have any better recommendations for you, unfortunately. Of course, I always go to the regional market in the spring...although it may be too late to go now, or maybe not. If you Search this forum you will find info on the Hartford Regional Market. I've been to many nurseries in the area but I haven't "fallen in love" with one yet. I was thinking of trying out Paul& Sandy's in East Hampton next.

Patty

I have the golden foliage Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' and it's not been a problem for me at all. In fact it's perished in most of the places I've planted it. Isn't the one on the invasive plant list the straight L. nummularia? Don't expect nurseries to tell you something they have for sale is considered invasive. I still see Euonymus alata (burning bush) being sold everywhere. Last year I even saw purple loosestrife for sale at a reputable nursery in Newington.

Usually I hit Gledhill's once or twice a season if I get coupons. Their hardy plant selection doesn't wow me but they have a nice greenhouse with some interesting tender stuff, pottery and garden do-das. Paige, ask for Carla if you go to Gledhill's again. She's not a garden professional but a very talented home gardener (an attorney actually) who works there part time. As far as Hartford area nursery suggestions...it depends what you need. I buy alot at Comstock because I live in Wethersfield and it's close but I don't know how they rate in the advice department. At the beginning of the season they have a good selection of woody plants at reasonable prices but they don't seem to continuously bring in new stuff and their perennial selection is anemic considering they are owned by Sunny Border, a wholesale nursery in Berlin with an extensive offering of plants to the trade.

I'm a hopeless plant collector so I usually only score at specialty nurseries anymore. Some of my favorites that are somewhat in the area are the Variegated Foliage Nursery in Eastford, Carol's Collectibles in Ashford, Natureworks in Northford, Quakin' Grass in Brooklyn, Broken Arrow in Hamden, sometimes I have good luck at Garden Sales and/or Woodland Gardens in Manchester. For unusual tender and tropical plants for containers, Country Flower Farms in Middlefield is at the top of the list.

Patty, do you like Scott's in Glastonbury? Every so often I find something out of the ordinary there-usually at a premium price though. They have the only Cephalotaxus harringtonia 'Prostrata' I've seen anywhere this year but I'm too cheap to shell out what they want for it.

Sue

Sue, I am about a stone's throw away from Scotts. My neighborhood, Apple Hill, is right behind their orchards. They sell their own honey there and I just know that their bees are using pollen from my flowers!

I go to Scott's usually at least once a week, since I'm right here. They do have a fantastic selection AND they keep everything in good shape. I know if I get a plant there it will be hardy and happy. The advise is variable, but the folks are nice. They tend to be expensive...but there are occasional bargains and their fall sale is FANTASTIC! They also had a spring shrub and tree sale...30% off. I went crazy.

Because of convenience and impulse urges, at least half of my plants have come from there. (By the way, I remember when they were only an orchard...It's been fun watching them grow. And, boy, have they grown!) (Oddly, I don't buy their apples...I go to South Glastonbury.) (Too much information?)

One major caveat...do not have them do any landscaping installation. They are notorious for planting way too close to the foundation. A neighbor had them put in some foundation planting only about 3 years ago and everything has already encroached on the house, to the point that they need to be moved asap.

I enjoy Comstock (and the ice cream shop next door!). I buy all my seeds there but don't usually buy plants. They do carry the Coast of Maine products which I absolutely adore, so I go there for those.

Thanks for the other names. I haven't been to Broken Arrow, Quakin' Grass, or Country Flower Farms. More day trips!

Patty

Patty, being closeby is one of the reasons I buy so much at Comstock.

Let me know next time Scott's has a tree and shrub sale. Maybe I'll spring for the Cephalotaxus. Scott's was the only place I could fine ornamental rhubarb this year-Rheum 'Ace of Hearts' and the newest knockout rose cultivar, 'Home Run'. Hmmm, maybe I'll swing over there this morning...

Definitely get out to Quackin' Grass. He has a large display garden out there planted out with all sorts of neat stuff. Brooklyn is sort of in the middle of nowhere but only about 10-15 minutes from the Vanilla Bean Cafe in Pomfret-a fantastic stop for lunch. Stop at Logees while you're out there and hit VFN and Maybe Maynard's Farm on the way home...lol...looks like I just planned the perfect day for you.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: Quackin' Grass Nursery

The "creeping jenny" referred to on this page:
http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/hortiscope/weed/creepjen.htm
(Posted above by jpvt)

Is NOT Lysimachia nummularia (yellow flowers, low groundcover) which is dicussed in the remainder of this thread.

The North Dakota extension site above refers instead to a different plant, Field Bindweed, which also has the name creeping jenny. Field Bindweed is also called perennial morning glory (its flower looks like morning glory), scientific name Convolvulus arvenis. This is clearly very invasive.

Creeping Jenny - Lysimachia nummularia (also known as moneywort) is banned in MA and on watch lists in CT and some other states.

When researching invasive plants, it is helpful to check to make sure the scientific names match up, as the common names can be confusing.

Lysimachia nummularia is very invasive but lysimachia nummularia aurea is a good creeper. It will spread as a ground cover but can easily be pulled out. Often a variegated form of a plant wil be less invasive than its green counterpart too.

I've got lysimachia nummularia aurea, and it grows nicely in a tough spot, in the shade of a Norway maple. It's been there for about 15 years. It spreads around a bit, but I've never seen it pop up anywhere else, although I have several mixed borders that never get weeded, where it could take hold if it spread by seed at all.

It's a ground cover: it covers the ground just like it's supposed to do. I occasionally have to pull a bit of it out from between the stems of other plants growing nearby, but that has not been a problem - it comes out easily and takes awhile to come back to the same territory.

No complaints on this one from me.

It's funny to see this resurface 2 years later! I'm over my panic about this plant. It's still in that contained bed and it's still beautiful. It looks great under my Nikko Blue hydrangea. When it starts to overstep the paved area, I just yank it out and it doesn't come back too quickly. I've considered releasing it in other areas, but I think it will overrun lots of perennials.

When your book comes out, George, be sure to include those 2 photos. What a lovely composition - the pure blue balloon flower looks fabulous with the creeping jenny. I love the way the lysimachia spills over the cobblestones - quite a contrast there.

Found this to be absolutely misleading: http://www.ext.nodak.edu/extnews/hortiscope/weed/creepjen.htm

Posted by jpvt.

They really should use scientific names here to differentiate the species as more than one plant shares the common name of 'Creeping Jenny'. Poor people who work so hard on their gardens only to be mislead by information like this, especially on a site that contains edu. Poor nursery workers who have to resolve false concerns from people who (of no fault of their own...except for the false information given here) have to explain why their nursery sells such plants as Creeping Jenny. Perhaps wikipedia would be more relavent in describing the differences here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convolvulus_arvensis verses: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysimachia_nummularia and https://www.stepables.com/5/Lysimachia_Golden_Creeping_Jenny-Moneywort.html which will let you know that this plant is not good for planting around roses but other plants such as conifers or smoke tree can compete with this girl. Is moneywort invasive? Perhaps, but the bottomline is moneywort is not the same as bindweed. I hope I've been able to resolve some concerns on this matter.

eight years later I think you have. : )