Lysimachia nemorum
yellow pimpernel
Overview
Lysimachia nemorum is a low, creeping evergreen perennial of damp woodland, with slender trailing stems 4-16 inches (10-40 cm) long that root at the nodes and form open mats only a few inches high. The paired leaves are oval to nearly heart-shaped, pointed, 0.5-1.5 inches (1-4 cm) long, smooth, and fresh green. From late spring through summer it bears solitary star-shaped yellow flowers about 0.5 inch (12 mm) across on thread-like stalks rising from the leaf axils, each with five narrow, spreading petals. Unlike scarlet pimpernel the flowers stay open in dull weather, so the plant shows colour through cloudy woodland summers. It runs over moist, shaded, humus-rich ground along stream banks, woodland rides, and shady hedge bottoms, rooting as it spreads to colonise bare damp soil. It needs cool, damp shade and fades where the ground dries or opens to strong sun. The stems are slender and easily broken, and the plant can be overrun by coarser ground cover on rich sites.
Native Range
Lysimachia nemorum is native to western and central Europe, from the British Isles east to the Caucasus and south to the mountains of southern Europe. It grows in damp deciduous woodland, along streams, and in shaded, humus-rich ground.Suggested Uses
Used as low ground cover in damp, shaded woodland and wildlife gardens, along shaded stream and pond margins, and at the foot of north-facing hedges. It knits over bare, moist soil where taller plants leave gaps.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2" - 4"
Width/Spread8" - 1'4"
Bloom Information
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 1-5 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow in cool, moist, humus-rich soil in part to full shade, such as a woodland floor or shaded stream edge. Steady moisture is needed through the growing season, and the plant fails on dry, sunny, or impoverished ground. It spreads by rooting stems to make low ground cover and is easily lifted and divided in spring. No feeding is required on leafy woodland soil. Trimming wayward runners keeps it within bounds in small plantings. Once established in damp shade it needs little attention.Pruning
No formal pruning is needed. Trailing stems are trimmed back in spring or after flowering where the mat outgrows its space. The evergreen foliage is left over winter and tidied as new growth appears.Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 1 gallons