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Goldilocks adds life to gardens

06-15-2008
Goldilocks is a lime green plant that grows to about 36 inches. Photo: Norman Winter/MCT

Goldilocks is a variety of Creeping Jenny or moneywort and is known botanically as Lysimachia nummularia. It is perennial over much of the country and is cold hardy to zone 4. It is extremely low growing, reaching only 4 to 6 inches tall. It is touted as being deer resistant.

The foliage is bright lime green with morning sun and afternoon shade. It turns a golden-chartreuse in full sun. Goldilocks can be used as a ground cover as it spreads to about 36 inches. Use it in the foreground to perennials like blue salvias.

At the Mississippi State University Truck Crops Experiment Station, we have used it like a street of gold between Montauk daises and in front of Mystic Spires Blue salvia and Stella d'Oro daylily.

A favorite way to use Goldilocks is as a spiller plant in containers. If you are a lucky gardener with rocks, you will love how Goldilocks makes the garden come alive by draping over and around them.

Amend tight, heavy soil with 3 to 4 inches of organic matter and work it shovel deep, 6 to 8 inches. I am a proponent of incorporating a little pre-plant, slow-release fertilizer like a 12-6-6.

When planting Goldilocks, be careful to not plant them too deeply. Place the plant so the top of the root ball is even with the surface of the soil. The Goldilocks will spread so space them 18 to 24 inches apart. Water the plants to get them established, but then water sparingly. They respond well to cutting back, so don't hesitate to pinch or prune as needed to keep them within their confines.

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