Creeping Jenny is a cover crop — grown to build and protect the soil rather than for a harvest of its own. Notably, it shrugs off deer and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its summer flowers are a modest draw for honeybees and native bees.
Zones
Data not available
pH Range
5.5-8
Sun
Part Sun
Days to Maturity
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Score Creeping Jenny on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether creeping jenny actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score creeping jenny against your land's real conditions.
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What Creeping Jenny is
Creeping Jenny grows as a perennial and reaches around 4 inches at maturity. It blooms yellow in summer. It's also deer-resistant and well suited to containers.
How to grow Creeping Jenny
Creeping Jenny does best in part sun — at least 4 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 8, on consistently moist ground. It needs a growing season of at least 90 frost-free days, which is why climate matters as much as soil.
USDA Zones
Data not available
USDA PHZM 2023
Soil pH
5.5 - 8
USDA PLANTS Database
Sun
Part Sun
plant_species_v5.csv
Drainage
poorly (saturated >50% of year)
plant_species_v5.csv
Mature Height
0.3 ft
plant_species_v5.csv
Frost-Free Days
90+
plant_species_v5.csv
Start the season right
Plant creeping jenny in part sun with at least 4 hours of direct sun, once the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed.
Match the soil
Creeping Jenny prefers pH 5.5 to 8 (USDA PLANTS Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. Match watering to the plant's drainage preference and your local rainfall.
Turn it in before it seeds
Cut creeping jenny down or turn it into the soil before it sets seed, while the growth is still green — that's when it returns the most to the ground.
Good to know
Good news for pet owners — creeping jenny isn't known to be toxic to dogs or cats. (Source: ASPCA.)
Creeping Jenny offers low value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership.)
Where Creeping Jenny thrives
Whether creeping jenny thrives on a given site comes down to its soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates — the conditions that vary parcel to parcel.
See if Creeping Jenny will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether creeping jenny actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I grow Creeping Jenny in my zone?
Zone data for creeping jenny is being finalized. A Growable Ground report checks your parcel's full suitability against federal soil, climate, and zone data.
When should you plant Creeping Jenny?
Most growers plant creeping jenny after the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed, leaving enough of the season for its 90-day frost-free need. Your local frost dates set the exact window — a Growable Ground report reads them for your address.
How much sun does Creeping Jenny need?
Creeping Jenny does well in partial sun — around 4 hours of direct sun, and it takes some afternoon shade in stride. That flexibility makes it a good match for a bed the house or a nearby tree shades for part of the day. A Growable Ground report maps how the sun actually falls on your land, hour by hour, so you can set it where the light lines up.
What soil does Creeping Jenny need?
Creeping Jenny prefers soil pH 5.5 to 8, on consistently moist ground (USDA PLANTS Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Creeping Jenny attract pollinators?
Yes — creeping jenny's flowers are a modest nectar source for honeybees and native bees (Xerces Society, Pollinator Partnership).
Is Creeping Jenny safe for pets?
Creeping Jenny is not known to be toxic to dogs or cats based on available data (ASPCA). Always supervise pets around new plantings.