Creeping Jenny
Lysimachia nummularia
Also sold as Golden creeping jenny · Lysimachia nummularia Aurea
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is a stem plant for the midground and the background, growing to about 40 cm (15.7 in) at a fast pace. It wants 59–79°F (15–26°C), medium light and no CO₂, and counts as an easy plant to keep alive.
At a glance
| Type | Stem plant |
|---|---|
| Light | MediumThe least light it survives in, not the light it looks best in. |
| CO₂ | Not neededWhether it survives without added CO₂ — not whether CO₂ would help it grow faster. |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Temperature | 59–79°F (15–26°C) |
| Max height | 40 cm (15.7 in)Grown submersed, left to mature, never trimmed. |
| Growth rate | Fast |
| Placement | planted in the midground and the background |
| pH | 6–8 |
Before it goes in
- Creeping Jenny needs medium light. Under a low-light LED it thins out instead of filling in.
- It grows without CO₂.
- At about 40 cm (15.7 in) it belongs behind everything shorter — planted at the front it hides the rest of the scape and shades it.
- Its leaves are medium: Goldfish, Electric Yellow Lab and Colombian Ramshorn Snail will eat it.
Can it grow without CO₂?
Yes. Creeping Jenny does not need CO₂ at all.
How much light does it need?
Medium light — and that is the survival line, not the “it looks better” line.
How big does it get?
About 40 cm (15.7 in) tall when it is mature and untrimmed, growing fast, after roughly 2 weeks to root in.
Will my fish eat it?
Its leaves are medium, so some will: Goldfish, Electric Yellow Lab and Colombian Ramshorn Snail.
What it goes with
- Plants that run on the same light and CO₂, so they can share a tank without one of them being the odd one out: Water Sprite, Anubias nana 'Petite', Cryptocoryne wendtii and Frogbit.
- Animals that share its temperature range and will not eat or uproot it: Betta, Cherry Shrimp, Angelfish and Bristlenose Pleco.
Often compared with
| Creeping Jenny | Lysimachia parvifolia 'Red' | Alternanthera reineckii | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| CO₂ | Not needed | Recommended | Recommended |
| Max height | 40 cm | 25 cm | 40 cm |
| Difficulty | Easy | Easy | Medium |
More plants
Sources (1)
- Temperature, Light, Max heightaquasabi.comSep 2026