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Jacob's ladders (Polemonium)
Offering up to twenty leaflets, this plant was named Jacob's ladder after the ladder that biblical figure Jacob dreamed of. It produces vibrant cup-shaped flowers that do well in borders, rock gardens, and woodlands. The jacob's ladders are native alongside the streams of forests in North America. There it attracts pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds. 
Lifespan
Perennial
Key Facts About Jacob's ladders
Feedback
Attributes of Jacob's ladders
Plant Height
60 cm
Spread
40 cm
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Scientific Classification of Jacob's ladders
Phylum
Vascular plants
Class
Dicotyledons
Order
Heathers and allies
Family
Phlox
Genus
Jacob's ladders
Distribution of Jacob's ladders
Feedback
Distribution Map of Jacob's ladders
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Jacob's ladders
Feedback
The plant genus jacob's ladders consists of species that generally thrive in cool, moist environments with some shade. Basic care requires well-drained, fertile soil with moderate watering to maintain moist conditions without waterlogging. Jacob's ladders prefers partial sun to light shade and temperate climates. Common challenges include susceptibility to powdery mildew, rust and potential harm from slugs and snails. Seasonally, jacob's ladders requires mulching for root protection in winter, less water in fall, and bloom support in spring and summer.
Exploring the Jacob's ladders Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder (Polemonium caeruleum) grows in temperate habitats in Europe and has been imported to North America. It takes root in damp soils and rocky areas. Jacob's ladder is used as an ingredient in some dyes and occasionally ends up in potpourri mixes.
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder is named for the arrangement of its delicate leaves into ladder-shaped arrays. However, its real attraction is its delightful summer flowers in deep shades of blue. This native perennial thrives in woodsy areas that receive part shade with rich, well-draining soil. Jacob's ladder or Polemonium reptans makes a great plant for rain gardens, as well.
Beautiful jacob's-ladder
Beautiful jacob's-ladder is known for its unpleasant odor, similar to that of a skunk. This is a deciduous perennial herb that prefers shady wooded areas. Its common name Beautiful jacob's-ladder originates from the arrangement of its leaves, which is reminiscent of the ladder that the biblical hero Jacob saw in his dream.
Northern jacob's-ladder 'Heavenly Habit'
Despite being a compact plant, northern jacob's-ladder 'Heavenly Habit' is actually taller than the original Jacob's ladder plant, growing to 30 cm instead of 10 cm tall. The plant's delicate mauve flowers are certainly heavenly and this hardy perennial grows easily and attracts butterflies.
Beautiful jacob's-ladder 'Lambrook Mauve'
Beautiful jacob's-ladder 'Lambrook Mauve' is a cultivated plant from the phlox family bred for its bluish-mauve flowers. The flowers are what set beautiful jacob's-ladder 'Lambrook Mauve' apart from other plants in the genus. It also gives the plant its name. The winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticulture Society for its consistent performance, it’s a favorite in perennial gardens.
Polemonium chinense
Polemonium chinense is a hardy perennial with elegant, ladder-like leaf arrangements and clusters of bell-shaped, usually blue to violet flowers. Thriving in cooler climates and preferring moist, well-drained soil, polemonium chinense often graces woodland edges where dappled sunlight promotes its lush foliage and delicate blooms. Attracted by its nectar, pollinators frequently visit, playing a role in the plant’s reproduction.
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Stairway to Heaven'
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Stairway to Heaven' is bred from the Jacob's ladder plant, and its cultivar name reflects the structure of its leaves and oval leaflets that are grouped like the rungs of a ladder. Its unique coloration includes green-and-white leaves touched with pink in the spring and light blue flowers with white stamens.
Jacob's ladder 'Bambino Blue'
With jacob's ladder 'Bambino Blue', what's not to like? Unique bunches of blue blooms set it apart from other Polemonium varieties, alongside its compactness and ability to thrive with less sunlight. "Bambino Blue" was an obvious choice of name - take a look at its flowers!
All Species of Jacob's ladders
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder (Polemonium caeruleum) grows in temperate habitats in Europe and has been imported to North America. It takes root in damp soils and rocky areas. Jacob's ladder is used as an ingredient in some dyes and occasionally ends up in potpourri mixes.
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder is named for the arrangement of its delicate leaves into ladder-shaped arrays. However, its real attraction is its delightful summer flowers in deep shades of blue. This native perennial thrives in woodsy areas that receive part shade with rich, well-draining soil. Jacob's ladder or Polemonium reptans makes a great plant for rain gardens, as well.
Beautiful jacob's-ladder
Beautiful jacob's-ladder
Beautiful jacob's-ladder is known for its unpleasant odor, similar to that of a skunk. This is a deciduous perennial herb that prefers shady wooded areas. Its common name Beautiful jacob's-ladder originates from the arrangement of its leaves, which is reminiscent of the ladder that the biblical hero Jacob saw in his dream.
Northern jacob's-ladder 'Heavenly Habit'
Northern jacob's-ladder 'Heavenly Habit'
Despite being a compact plant, northern jacob's-ladder 'Heavenly Habit' is actually taller than the original Jacob's ladder plant, growing to 30 cm instead of 10 cm tall. The plant's delicate mauve flowers are certainly heavenly and this hardy perennial grows easily and attracts butterflies.
Beautiful jacob's-ladder 'Lambrook Mauve'
Beautiful jacob's-ladder 'Lambrook Mauve'
Beautiful jacob's-ladder 'Lambrook Mauve' is a cultivated plant from the phlox family bred for its bluish-mauve flowers. The flowers are what set beautiful jacob's-ladder 'Lambrook Mauve' apart from other plants in the genus. It also gives the plant its name. The winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticulture Society for its consistent performance, it’s a favorite in perennial gardens.
Polemonium chinense
Polemonium chinense
Polemonium chinense is a hardy perennial with elegant, ladder-like leaf arrangements and clusters of bell-shaped, usually blue to violet flowers. Thriving in cooler climates and preferring moist, well-drained soil, polemonium chinense often graces woodland edges where dappled sunlight promotes its lush foliage and delicate blooms. Attracted by its nectar, pollinators frequently visit, playing a role in the plant’s reproduction.
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Stairway to Heaven'
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Stairway to Heaven'
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Stairway to Heaven' is bred from the Jacob's ladder plant, and its cultivar name reflects the structure of its leaves and oval leaflets that are grouped like the rungs of a ladder. Its unique coloration includes green-and-white leaves touched with pink in the spring and light blue flowers with white stamens.
Jacob's ladder 'Bambino Blue'
Jacob's ladder 'Bambino Blue'
With jacob's ladder 'Bambino Blue', what's not to like? Unique bunches of blue blooms set it apart from other Polemonium varieties, alongside its compactness and ability to thrive with less sunlight. "Bambino Blue" was an obvious choice of name - take a look at its flowers!
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Heaven Scent'
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Heaven Scent'
Not called "Heaven Scent" for nothing, the flowers of spreading jacob's ladder 'Heaven Scent' release a strong, pleasant fragrance. It displays a striking contrast of bright blue blooms against dark purple foliage, which is vastly different from the parent plant's faint blue petals and green leaves. With the combination of spreading jacob's ladder 'Heaven Scent''s appearance and scent, why wouldn't gardeners love it?
Annual polemonium
Annual polemonium
Annual polemonium is a delicate alpine perennial known for its tiny, bell-shaped flowers, often with shades of blue or violet. This dwarf species thrives in cool, rocky mountain terrains, its low stature helping it endure harsh, windy conditions. The fern-like leaves of annual polemonium are pinnately divided, forming an elegant rosette at the plant's base, which provides a subtle backdrop to its clusters of blossoms in the spring and early summer.
Tall jacob's-ladder
Tall jacob's-ladder
Tall jacob's-ladder is a perennial herb that features a cluster of delicate, bell-shaped blue to violet flowers atop leafy, erect stems. Each leaf is pinnately divided into several leaflets, giving the foliage a feathery appearance. Typically found in cooler, mountainous regions, tall jacob's-ladder thrives in moist, well-drained soils, often gracing alpine meadows and rocky slopes with its blossoms in late spring to early summer.
Alaska jacob's-ladder
Alaska jacob's-ladder
Alaska jacob's-ladder is a plush perennial herb often nestled in alpine regions, flourishing in frigid climates. It sports a lush mantle of fine hairs, which serve as a frosty armor shielding its vibrant blue to violet blossoms. This densely hairy coat extends to its feathery pinnate leaves, contributing to a velvety texture, and effectively trapping warmth, enabling alaska jacob's-ladder to thrive amidst rocky terrain and snow-kissed slopes.
Elegant jacob's-ladder
Elegant jacob's-ladder
Elegant jacob's-ladder is a charming alpine perennial known for its clustered sky-blue to lavender flowers, each with a distinctive yellow center. The blooms are poised on delicate stems above a low mound of ferny foliage. This plant thrives in cool, moist mountain habitats, often tucked in rock crevices where the soil retains moisture without becoming waterlogged. Its elegant appearance belies a hardy nature, able to withstand the extreme conditions at high altitudes.
Western jacob's ladder
Western jacob's ladder
This is a rhizomatous perennial herb producing an erect stem up to one meter tall. The leaves are located along the stem, each divided into many small lance-shaped leaflets. The inflorescence is an open, elongated array of several bell-shaped, five-lobed flowers each up to 1.5 centimeters long.
Alpine jacob's-ladder
Alpine jacob's-ladder
Alpine jacob's-ladder is a hardy alpine perennial with a lush mound of fern-like foliage. It features clusters of delicate bell-shaped flowers, typically blue or violet, that bloom atop slender stalks. Adapting to high-altitude conditions, alpine jacob's-ladder thrives in rocky soils and cool climates, where its dwarf habit and vibrant blooms attract pollinators, contributing to its survival amidst mountain terrain.
Towering jacob's-ladder
Towering jacob's-ladder
Towering jacob's-ladder is a lush perennial, flaunting clusters of delicate bell-shaped flowers on leafy stems that reach up to the heavens. Its soft leaves, as implied by 'foliosissimum', are highly dense, creating a luxuriant appearance. Thriving in alpine meadows and rocky terrains, towering jacob's-ladder exhibits a remarkable resilience to cold and preference for well-drained soils. The 'molle' variety notes a particular softness, likely referring to its foliage texture, suggesting a tactile as well as visual allure.
Moving polemonium
Moving polemonium
It is a hairy, glandular rhizomatous perennial herb forming clumps of several decumbent to erect stems 30 to 50 centimeters in maximum height. The leaves are up to 20 centimeters long and are compound, made up of several pairs of oval to lance-shaped leaflets. The leaflet at the tip of the leaf is often fused to the pair behind it.
Mason's jacob's-ladder
Mason's jacob's-ladder
Mason's jacob's-ladder is a notable alpine species found in high elevation habitats, where it flourishes despite the harsh conditions. This plant displays a delicate rosette of basal leaves, showcasing a soft, fern-like appearance. In the bloom season, mason's jacob's-ladder features charming clusters of sky-blue to lavender flowers, each held aloft on slender stems, attracting various pollinators. This perennial's resilience and striking flowers make it a jewel of mountainous terrains.
Leafy jacob's ladder
Leafy jacob's ladder
Leafy jacob's ladder is a hardy perennial that thrives in temperate woodlands. Its most notable feature is the abundance of leafy foliage from which its name is derived. This plant boasts elegant, ladder-like leaves and clusters of delicate blue to violet flowers that bloom in spring, providing a feast for pollinators. Leafy jacob's ladder's lush presence often indicates a well-drained, moist soil, rich in organic matter.
Sky pilot
Sky pilot
Sky pilot is a hardy perennial known for its sky-blue to lavender flowers that bloom atop tall stems. The delicate bell-shaped flowers form clusters that attract pollinators, while its fern-like foliage provides a textured green backdrop. Thriving in alpine environments, sky pilot adapts to rocky soils and high elevation conditions, showcasing nature's resilience.
Greek valerian
Greek valerian
Jacob's ladder grows 50 cm tall, with pinnate leaves up to 20 cm long with 5–13 leaflets. The leaves and flower stems grow from a vertical crown with abundant fibrous roots. The flowers are produced in panicles on weak stems from mid to late spring.
Hinckley's polemonium
Hinckley's polemonium
Polemonium pauciflorum, the fewflower Jacob's-ladder, is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family found in the United States and Mexico.
Sky pilot
Sky pilot
Sky pilot is a striking alpine perennial known for its clusters of delicate, bell-shaped blue to violet flowers. Each leaf consists of a set of leaflets arranged like the rungs of a ladder — a key identification feature. Thriving in high elevations, it has a compact growth habit, a trait that ensures survival amidst rugged mountainous terrains.
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
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About
Key Facts
Distribution
How To Care
All Species
More Genus
Jacob's ladders
Polemonium
Offering up to twenty leaflets, this plant was named Jacob's ladder after the ladder that biblical figure Jacob dreamed of. It produces vibrant cup-shaped flowers that do well in borders, rock gardens, and woodlands. The jacob's ladders are native alongside the streams of forests in North America. There it attracts pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds.
Lifespan
Perennial
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Key Facts About Jacob's ladders
Feedback
Attributes of Jacob's ladders
Plant Height
60 cm
Spread
40 cm
Leaf type
Semi-evergreen
Scientific Classification of Jacob's ladders
Phylum
Vascular plants Class
Dicotyledons Order
Heathers and allies Family
Phlox Genus
Jacob's ladders Distribution of Jacob's ladders
Feedback
Distribution Map of Jacob's ladders
Native
Cultivated
Invasive
Potentially invasive
Exotic
No species reported
How to Grow and Care for Jacob's ladders
Feedback
The plant genus jacob's ladders consists of species that generally thrive in cool, moist environments with some shade. Basic care requires well-drained, fertile soil with moderate watering to maintain moist conditions without waterlogging. Jacob's ladders prefers partial sun to light shade and temperate climates. Common challenges include susceptibility to powdery mildew, rust and potential harm from slugs and snails. Seasonally, jacob's ladders requires mulching for root protection in winter, less water in fall, and bloom support in spring and summer.
Exploring the Jacob's ladders Plants
Feedback
8 most common species：
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder (Polemonium caeruleum) grows in temperate habitats in Europe and has been imported to North America. It takes root in damp soils and rocky areas. Jacob's ladder is used as an ingredient in some dyes and occasionally ends up in potpourri mixes.
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder is named for the arrangement of its delicate leaves into ladder-shaped arrays. However, its real attraction is its delightful summer flowers in deep shades of blue. This native perennial thrives in woodsy areas that receive part shade with rich, well-draining soil. Jacob's ladder or Polemonium reptans makes a great plant for rain gardens, as well.
Beautiful jacob's-ladder
Beautiful jacob's-ladder is known for its unpleasant odor, similar to that of a skunk. This is a deciduous perennial herb that prefers shady wooded areas. Its common name Beautiful jacob's-ladder originates from the arrangement of its leaves, which is reminiscent of the ladder that the biblical hero Jacob saw in his dream.
Northern jacob's-ladder 'Heavenly Habit'
Despite being a compact plant, northern jacob's-ladder 'Heavenly Habit' is actually taller than the original Jacob's ladder plant, growing to 30 cm instead of 10 cm tall. The plant's delicate mauve flowers are certainly heavenly and this hardy perennial grows easily and attracts butterflies.
Show More Species
All Species of Jacob's ladders
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder
Beautiful jacob's-ladder
Northern jacob's-ladder 'Heavenly Habit'
Beautiful jacob's-ladder 'Lambrook Mauve'
Polemonium chinense
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Stairway to Heaven'
Jacob's ladder 'Bambino Blue'
Spreading jacob's ladder 'Heaven Scent'
Annual polemonium
Tall jacob's-ladder
Alaska jacob's-ladder
Elegant jacob's-ladder
Western jacob's ladder
Alpine jacob's-ladder
Towering jacob's-ladder
Moving polemonium
Mason's jacob's-ladder
Leafy jacob's ladder
Sky pilot
Greek valerian
Hinckley's polemonium
Sky pilot
More Popular Genus
Feedback
Dracaena
Dracaena are popular house plants that are easy to grow. They can tolerate low-light conditions and require little watering. Their leaves range from variegated to dark green. Their characteristic traits include woody stems that grow slowly but offer a striking appearance for small spaces such as apartments or offices.
Fig trees
Fig trees have been cultivated in many regions for their fruits, particularly the common fig, F. carica. Most of the species have edible fruits, although the common fig is the only one of commercial value. Fig trees are also important food sources for wildlife in the tropics, including monkeys, bats, and insects.
Brambles
Brambles are members of the rose family, and there are hundreds of different types to be found throughout the European countryside. They have been culturally significant for centuries; Christian folklore stories hold that when the devil was thrown from heaven, he landed on a bramble bush. Their vigorous growth habit can tangle into native plants and take over.
Maples
The popular tree family known as maples change the color of their leaves in the fall. Many cultural traditions encourage people to watch the colors change, such as momijigari in Japan. Maples popular options for bonsai art. Alternately, their sap is used to create maple syrup.
Prunus
Prunus is a genus of flowering fruit trees that includes almonds, cherries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and apricots. These are often known as "stone fruits" because their pits are large seeds or "stones." When prunus trees are damaged, they exhibit "gummosis," a condition in which the tree's gum (similar to sap) is secreted to the bark to help heal external wounds.
Nightshades
Nightshades is a large and diverse genus of plants, with more than 1500 different types worldwide. This genus incorporates both important staple food crops like tomato, potato, and eggplant, but also dangerous poisonous plants from the nightshade family. The name was coined by Pliny the Elder almost two thousand years ago.
Roses
Most species of roses are shrubs or climbing plants that have showy flowers and sharp thorns. They are commonly cultivated for cut flowers or as ornamental plants in gardens due to their attractive appearance, pleasant fragrance, and cultural significance in many countries. The rose hips (fruits) can also be used in jams and teas.
Oaks
Oaks are among the world's longest-lived trees, sometimes growing for over 1,000 years! The oldest known oak tree is in the southern United States and is over 1,500 years old. Oaks produce an exceedingly popular type of wood which is used to make different products, from furniture and flooring to wine barrels and even cosmetic creams.
Your Ultimate Guide to Plants
Identify grow and nurture the better way!
17,000 local species +400,000 global species studied
Nearly 5 years of research
80+ scholars in botany and gardening
Continue reading in our app - it's better
A database of 400000+ plants
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
unlimited guides at your fingertips...
