Moneywort | Jin Qian Cao

They say money doesn’t grow on trees, but how about under them? Goldi Moneywort is a bold ground cover Spirit with neat rounded leaves that look like gold coins. Grow it in full sun if you want a brilliant yellow swath of foliage, or give it part shade to have a peppy chartreuse accent. Growing most luxuriantly in damp conditions, it will flourish in that troublesome part of your landscape where drainage is poor. It also does well in average soil with summer water. This cheerful spreader brings a ray of sunshine to any space it inhabits.

You may see the green-leaved version of Moneywort in the wild and think it’s a native plant. Although this Spirit has been here a very long time, it’s actually an import. Moneywort, a.k.a. Creeping Jenny or Creeping Charlie, is originally from Europe and western Asia. It was brought to the New World around 1739. Although it doesn’t often flower and it rarely sets seed, it does root easily and spreads itself around that way. Goldi Moneywort was selected for its bright gold leaves, which hold their rich color all season.

The Latin ”nummularia” means “like a coin”, referring to the shape and color of the flowers; hence the common names, such as “Moneywort”, which also references coins.

The Moneywort is far more often known by the familiar names of Creeping Jenny, Wandering Jenny, Running
Jenny, Creeping Joan and Wandering Sailor – all names alluding to its rapid trailing over the ground. ‘Meadow Runagates’ has the same reference, and
tells us also of its favourite home in damp pastures and by stream sides.

The earliest English Herbal, that of Turner, speaks of it as ‘Herbe 2 pence’ and ‘Two penigrasse,’ and it is still known in some localities as Herb Twopence and Twopenny Grass, the allusion here being to the leaves, which are set two and two on the stem, and rounded (though each has a short, sharp tip), and lying always faces turned to the sky, look like rows of pence. ‘Moneywort’ and
‘Strings of Sovereigns,’ though names based on the same idea, are probably suggested by the big golden flowers, rather than by the leaves. The leaves
sometimes turn rose-pink in autumn.

Moneywort is used in herbalism for healing wounds. The plant contains a number of phenolic acids. In traditional Chinese Medicine, ”Lysimachia” is used to treat stone lin syndrome, which encompasses gall stones and urinary bladder stones. Some practitioners are using this herb to battle painful gout symptoms.