How to Kill Creeping Jenny in Your Lawn

Creeping jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) is a fast-spreading ground cover plant that can quickly take over lawns if left unchecked. Its trailing stems root at every leaf node, allowing it to form dense mats that smother grass. Here’s how to identify it, remove it, and prevent it from returning.

As one of the trickier lawn weeds in the UK, creeping jenny is often confused with mind-your-own-business due to its similar creeping habit.

Identifying Creeping Jenny

Creeping jenny has distinctive round, coin-shaped leaves arranged in pairs along trailing stems. The leaves are bright green (or golden-yellow in cultivated varieties) and about 1-2cm across. Each leaf has a short stalk and the pairs sit opposite each other along the stem.

In summer (June-August), small bright yellow cup-shaped flowers appear at the leaf nodes. Each flower is about 1.5-2cm across with five petals. The flowers help distinguish creeping jenny from other creeping lawn weeds.

The stems can grow up to 50cm long, trailing along the ground and rooting wherever nodes touch soil. This rooting habit is what makes it so invasive — a single plant can spread rapidly in all directions.

Creeping jenny prefers damp, shady conditions but will grow in sun if the soil stays moist. It’s particularly common near ponds, in poorly drained lawns, and in shaded areas under trees.

Why Creeping Jenny Takes Over

Creeping jenny spreads primarily through its trailing stems rather than seeds. Each stem roots at every leaf node, creating new independent plants as it goes. Even small fragments left after removal can regrow.

The plant thrives in conditions that stress lawn grass — shade, damp soil, poor drainage, and compacted ground. In these conditions, grass grows weakly while creeping jenny flourishes.

Its dense mat of overlapping leaves shades out grass beneath it, creating a vicious cycle. As grass weakens, creeping jenny fills the gaps, creating more shade and weakening more grass.

Mowing has little effect because creeping jenny grows flat against the ground, well below typical mowing height. The stems and leaves simply pass under the mower blade.

Hand Removal

For small patches, hand removal can work if you’re thorough. The key is removing every piece of stem and root, as any fragment left behind will regrow.

Work when soil is moist. Gently lift the trailing stems and follow each one back to its origin point. Carefully tease out the roots at each node where the stem has rooted into the soil.

Use a hand fork to loosen soil around the roots. Don’t just pull the stems, as they’ll snap and leave rooted sections behind. Work methodically from the edges of the patch inward.

Dispose of all removed material in your green waste bin, not your compost heap. Creeping jenny can regrow from fragments in compost and reinfest your garden when you spread it.

After removal, overseed bare patches immediately with grass seed to prevent creeping jenny or other weeds from recolonising. Our guide to fixing bare patches explains the technique.

Check the area weekly and remove any regrowth promptly. It may take several months of persistent removal to exhaust all root fragments.

Using Selective Weedkillers

For established infestations, selective lawn weedkillers are more effective than hand removal. Products containing 2,4-D or dicamba work on creeping jenny, though it can be stubborn and may need multiple treatments.

Apply when the plant is actively growing, typically May to September. The leaves need to absorb the herbicide and transport it through the trailing stems to all the rooted nodes.

Avoid treating during drought, frost, or when rain is expected within six hours. Good growing conditions mean better herbicide uptake.

A spring lawn treatment that combines selective weedkiller with lawn feed tackles both problems at once — killing the creeping jenny while strengthening your grass to fill the gaps.

You’ll likely need two or three applications, four to six weeks apart. Creeping jenny’s extensive root network at multiple nodes means a single treatment rarely kills the entire plant. Each application weakens it further until it can’t recover.

Addressing the Root Cause

Creeping jenny invades lawns because conditions favour it over grass. Unless you fix these conditions, it will return even after successful removal.

Improve drainage in waterlogged areas. Creeping jenny loves wet soil. Fixing drainage problems removes its competitive advantage.

Reduce shade where possible. Thin overhanging branches to let more light reach the lawn. Grass grows better in light, while creeping jenny tolerates shade.

Aerate compacted soil to help grass roots establish. Lawn aeration relieves compaction and improves drainage simultaneously.

Feed your lawn regularly. Well-nourished grass grows thick and dense, leaving no gaps for creeping jenny to exploit. Follow our lawn care guide for a complete maintenance programme.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will mowing kill creeping jenny?

No. Creeping jenny grows flat against the ground, well below mowing height. Mowing passes straight over it without causing damage.

Is creeping jenny the same as mind-your-own-business?

No, though they’re often confused. Creeping jenny has larger, round coin-shaped leaves (1-2cm) and yellow flowers. Mind-your-own-business has tiny leaves (2-4mm) and creates a much finer mat.

How long does it take to kill creeping jenny?

With selective weedkiller, expect 2-3 treatments over 8-12 weeks. Hand removal requires persistent effort over several months to exhaust all root fragments.

Does creeping jenny die in winter?

The top growth dies back in cold weather, but the plant is perennial and regrows from its roots in spring. It doesn’t die — it’s just dormant.

Can I use creeping jenny as ground cover instead?

In garden beds, creeping jenny makes attractive ground cover, especially the golden cultivar ‘Aurea’. But in lawns, it overwhelms grass and creates an uneven, patchy appearance.

Struggling with creeping jenny in your lawn? A combined feed and weed treatment kills it while strengthening your grass. For lawns too far gone, glyphosate kills everything before you start fresh. See also our guides to daisies, buttercup, and speedwell.