Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia) can be killed through persistent hand-pulling, smothering, targeted broadleaf herbicides like triclopyr, or non-selective herbicides like glyphosate. The method that works best depends on where the plant is growing and what you want to keep alive around it. What makes creeping Jenny genuinely difficult is not that any one method fails to damage it, but that the plant regenerates aggressively from small stem fragments left behind, so half-measures tend to result in a full comeback within weeks.
Why Creeping Jenny Is So Hard to Eradicate
Creeping Jenny is a low-growing perennial that spreads primarily by stolons, which are horizontal stems that run along the soil surface, rooting at every node they touch. A single plant can send out stolons in all directions, and each rooted node becomes an independent plant capable of surviving on its own if severed from the parent. This means a patch of creeping Jenny that looks like one sprawling plant may actually be dozens of interconnected but self-sufficient individuals.
The practical consequence is that any removal method that leaves rooted fragments behind has essentially replanted the weed for you. Pull out 90% of the stolons and the remaining 10% will re-establish the patch, sometimes within a single growing season. This is the central frustration for most gardeners and the reason control strategies need to be thorough and repeated rather than one-and-done.
Creeping Jenny also thrives in moist, shady conditions where many desirable plants struggle. It tolerates a wide range of soil types and can grow in full sun to deep shade, though it spreads fastest in consistently damp areas. If you have a wet corner of your yard or a garden bed that stays soggy after rain, that is exactly where creeping Jenny will be happiest and hardest to dislodge.
Hand-Pulling and Manual Digging
For small infestations, hand-pulling is the most straightforward approach and causes no collateral damage to surrounding plants. The key is to pull slowly and trace each stolon to its full length rather than yanking and snapping the stems. Work when the soil is moist so roots release more easily. A hand fork or a garden knife helps lift stolons that have rooted deeply, especially in compacted soil.
Plan to go over the same area multiple times across several weeks. Even careful hand-pulling will miss fragments, and you will see regrowth from pieces you left behind. Checking the area every week or two during the growing season and pulling new sprouts while they are small prevents the plant from rebuilding its network. Most gardeners find that three to five passes over a couple of months dramatically reduces the population, though complete eradication by hand alone can take a full season or more.
One practical tip: bag everything you pull rather than tossing it into a compost pile. Creeping Jenny stems can root from cuttings, and a compost heap that does not reach high temperatures consistently may simply become a nursery for the weed. Dispose of pulled material in yard waste bags or let it dry out completely on pavement before composting.
Smothering With Mulch or Sheeting
If creeping Jenny has taken over a large area and you are willing to sacrifice everything growing there, smothering is effective and avoids chemicals entirely. Cover the infested area with cardboard or several layers of newspaper, then top with three to four inches of mulch. The idea is to block all light for an extended period so the plants exhaust their energy reserves trying to reach the surface. Leave the covering in place for at least two to three months during the growing season.
Landscape fabric alone is less reliable because creeping Jenny’s thin stems can work through gaps at seams and edges. Cardboard is a better base layer because it forms a more continuous barrier and eventually decomposes into the soil. Some gardeners use black plastic sheeting instead, which has the added benefit of trapping heat. This solarization effect raises soil temperatures enough to kill weed seeds and roots near the surface, though it also kills soil organisms and can leave the ground sterile for a while.
Smothering works best when you are resetting a bed entirely and plan to replant afterward. It is not practical for removing creeping Jenny from within an established planting where you want to keep other things alive.
Selective Herbicides for Use in Lawns
When creeping Jenny invades a lawn, you need an herbicide that kills broadleaf weeds without harming grass. Triclopyr is one of the most effective active ingredients for this purpose. It belongs to the synthetic auxin family of herbicides, which cause uncontrolled growth in broadleaf plants, leading to twisted, curling stems and eventual death. Grasses are naturally tolerant of auxin herbicides, which is why they survive the application while broadleaf weeds do not.
Research on triclopyr’s effectiveness against broadleaf weeds has shown strong results. In controlled studies on broadleaf species, triclopyr-containing treatments produced visible damage (epinasty, or abnormal curling) of 80% to 99% within 21 days, far outperforming other herbicide classes that maxed out at around 28%.1Weed Technology. Efficacy of triclopyr and synthetic auxin herbicide mixtures for common blue violet (Viola sororia) control While that particular study focused on wild violets rather than creeping Jenny, triclopyr is widely recommended by extension services for creeping Jenny in turf because both are stoloniferous broadleaf weeds that respond to the same mode of action.
Products containing triclopyr are sold under various brand names at garden centers, often as part of a three-way mix with other broadleaf herbicides like 2,4-D and dicamba. These combination products cast a wider net, controlling a broader range of weeds in a single application. Apply when creeping Jenny is actively growing, typically in late spring through early fall, and when daytime temperatures are between roughly 60°F and 85°F. Temperatures above 85°F increase the risk of volatilization and drift damage to nearby ornamental plants.
Expect to make at least two applications spaced two to four weeks apart. Creeping Jenny’s dense mat of overlapping stems can shield lower leaves from spray contact, so a single pass rarely kills the entire colony. A second application catches regrowth and any portions that were protected the first time.
Herbicide Combinations That Speed Up Results
One of the frustrations with selective broadleaf herbicides is how slowly visible control develops. Adding a contact herbicide to the mix can accelerate the process. Research on ground ivy, another aggressive creeping weed that shares creeping Jenny’s growth habit, found that mixing sulfentrazone with metsulfuron dramatically improved early-stage control. Ground ivy treated with metsulfuron alone showed essentially zero control at seven days, but when sulfentrazone was added, control jumped to 40–72% at the same time point and reached 87–100% by day 14.2Weed Technology. Sulfentrazone and Carfentrazone Accelerate Broadleaf Weed Control with Metsulfuron
The researchers noted that the fast-acting contact herbicides did not change the long-term efficacy of the systemic herbicide. They simply provided quicker visible knockdown, which matters in practice because gardeners who see no results after a week often assume the product failed and either reapply too soon or switch products unnecessarily. Knowing that the systemic component is working even when early visible damage is minimal can save you from over-treating your lawn.
Not all of these active ingredients are available in consumer formulations, but some combination lawn herbicides do include sulfentrazone alongside systemic broadleaf actives. If you find creeping Jenny bounces back quickly from standard three-way broadleaf products, look for formulations that include a protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) inhibitor like sulfentrazone or carfentrazone for that faster contact burn.
Non-Selective Herbicides for Garden Beds and Hardscaping
When creeping Jenny has invaded a flower bed, a stone path, or other areas where you do not need to protect turf grass, a non-selective herbicide like glyphosate is often the most efficient option. Glyphosate kills virtually all actively growing vegetation it contacts, so it must be applied carefully. Spot-treating with a ready-to-use spray bottle or a foam applicator limits drift and keeps the herbicide off plants you want to keep.
Glyphosate is systemic, meaning the plant absorbs it through its leaves and translocates it to the roots. This is important for creeping Jenny because the weed’s extensive stolon network means surface damage alone is not enough. You want the herbicide moving through the entire plant. Apply to actively growing foliage on a calm, dry day and avoid watering for at least 24 hours afterward.
One to two applications typically bring a patch under control, though you should monitor the area for regrowth over the next month. Any fragments that were shielded from the spray or had already gone dormant may emerge later. Glyphosate has no soil residual activity, which means it will not prevent new creeping Jenny seedlings or stolon fragments from establishing afterward. Following up with mulch or a pre-emergent barrier helps prevent reinfestation.
Vinegar-based herbicides (acetic acid at 20% concentration or higher) are sometimes marketed as natural alternatives. They work as contact burns, scorching the foliage they touch, but they do not move systemically through the plant. Against a weed that regenerates from its root and stolon network as readily as creeping Jenny does, a contact-only burn typically results in quick regrowth. Horticultural vinegar can be useful as a supplement to smother creeping Jenny’s top growth before manual removal, but on its own it is rarely a permanent solution.
Flame Weeding and Thermal Control
Flame weeding uses a propane torch to briefly expose weeds to intense heat, rupturing plant cells and causing rapid desiccation. It is used primarily in organic agriculture and on hard surfaces like driveways and patios. Research on optimized flame weeding has found weed control efficiency as high as about 91% under ideal conditions, with recovery rates of only around 8.5% when equipment was operated slowly enough to deliver sufficient thermal energy to each plant.3PubMed Central. Non-chemical weed management: Harnessing flame weeding for effective weed control
For creeping Jenny specifically, flame weeding has the same limitation as vinegar: it destroys above-ground tissue but does not kill the root system or buried stolon nodes. Repeated flaming at intervals of one to two weeks can eventually exhaust the plant’s energy reserves, because each regrowth cycle forces it to draw on stored carbohydrates. Three or more passes are usually necessary. Flame weeding is not safe to use in dry mulched beds, near wooden structures, or in areas with dry grass or leaf litter, so it is best suited to gravel paths, stone patios, and similar non-flammable surfaces.
Timing Your Attack
Creeping Jenny is most vulnerable during active growth, which in most temperate climates runs from mid-spring through early fall. Herbicide applications made during this window are more effective because the plant is actively taking up water and nutrients, which means it translocates systemic herbicides more efficiently. Late spring applications, when the plant has leafed out fully but has not yet produced the thick overlapping mat of midsummer, tend to give the best spray coverage.
Fall applications can also work well. As the plant begins moving carbohydrates down to its roots for winter storage, systemic herbicides applied to the leaves get carried along for the ride. This can result in better root kill than a summer application where the plant is focused on upward growth. Avoid treating during drought stress or extreme heat, when the plant’s stomates close and herbicide uptake drops.
Manual removal is most productive after a soaking rain, when roots pull free of the soil more completely. Dry soil grips roots tightly and causes more breakage, which means more fragments left behind to regrow.
Preventing Reinfestation
Killing an existing patch of creeping Jenny is only half the battle. The plant spreads easily into new areas, and any gardening neighbor who grows the ornamental golden variety (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) is a potential source of reintroduction. Stem fragments can travel on boots, tools, mower decks, and in shared soil or compost.
After clearing an area, lay down two to three inches of mulch to suppress any remaining fragments and shade out new seedlings. In beds where creeping Jenny was especially dense, a layer of cardboard under the mulch adds insurance. Keep the mulch topped up, because thin spots invite recolonization.
Improving drainage in chronically wet areas also helps. Creeping Jenny can grow in dry soil, but it dominates in wet conditions where competing plants struggle. If a soggy corner of your yard keeps growing creeping Jenny no matter what you do, addressing the moisture issue through regrading, French drains, or simply choosing moisture-tolerant plants that can outcompete it may be more effective long-term than repeated herbicide applications.
The Ornamental Variety Problem
Creeping Jenny is sold at many garden centers as a desirable ground cover, particularly the golden-leaved cultivar ‘Aurea.’ It is popular in hanging baskets, container gardens, and as a ground cover under taller plantings. The trouble is that the species does not respect the boundaries you set for it. Planted in one container or one section of a bed, it will escape via stolons and colonize adjacent areas, lawns, and paths.
If you are buying creeping Jenny intentionally, growing it in containers that sit on pavement rather than on soil is the safest approach. Hanging baskets and window boxes work well because the trailing habit is attractive and there is no ground contact for stolons to root into. Planting it directly in garden soil in regions where it is considered invasive is a gamble that many gardeners eventually regret when the ground cover they chose for one spot has taken over the entire bed.
In several U.S. states and parts of Canada, creeping Jenny is listed as an invasive or potentially invasive species. Before planting it, check your local invasive species lists. And if you are fighting it in your yard, it is worth mentioning to neighbors who may be unknowingly growing the source of your problem in their own garden.
Special Considerations Near Water
Creeping Jenny thrives along stream banks, pond edges, and rain gardens, which is precisely where most herbicides should not be applied. Triclopyr has aquatic-labeled formulations that are approved for use near water in some situations, but regulations vary by state and product. Glyphosate also has aquatic-approved versions, though its use near waterways has become increasingly restricted in some jurisdictions. Always read the product label for setback distances from water bodies before applying any herbicide near a stream, pond, or drainage ditch.
In riparian areas where herbicides are off the table, manual removal and smothering are your primary tools. Repeated hand-pulling through the growing season, combined with planting aggressive native ground covers that can compete for the same niche, is the approach most commonly recommended by invasive species managers for waterside infestations. It is slower and more labor-intensive than chemical control, but it avoids contaminating the aquatic environment that creeping Jenny tends to colonize.