Jacob's Ladder (Polemonium reptans)
[pole-MONE-ee-um REP-tanz]

Deciduous Perennial Lax, Sprawling in the Polemoniaceae Family
Woodland wildflower with attractive ferny leaves and clusters of small pale blue bell-shaped flowers.
Polemonium reptans is a native Illinois woodland wildflower valued for its ferny foliage and clusters of nodding, bell-shaped, pale blue flowers in late spring. Its leafy stems often lean to one side or sprawl loosely rather than standing fully upright, and despite the species name reptans ('creeping'), the plant doesn't actually spread by runners the way some groundcovers do -- it forms a loose, gently spreading clump instead. A reliable early-season nectar source for native bees, it's a good choice for a shaded native plant garden or woodland setting.

Pros

  • True native Illinois wildflower
  • Early-season nectar source for native bees
  • Attractive ferny foliage
  • Self-seeds readily in good conditions

Cons

  • Lax, sprawling habit isn't as tidy as some garden perennials
  • Foliage can decline in appearance by late summer
  • Needs shade and consistent moisture to look its best
Why Like A true Illinois woodland native, found occasionally to locally common across most of the state in shaded deciduous woods, wooded slopes, bluff bases, and stream banks. Its nodding blue flowers are an early-to-mid spring nectar source for a range of native bees -- including a specialist bee, Andrena polemonii, that relies on this genus -- plus bee flies, skippers, and other pollinators, at a time when little else is blooming in the woodland understory.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 8 - 12 inches tall. 18 - 24 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Sun - Full Shade
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 3a - 9b (Usually hardy to -40° F)
Tags Attracts Bees, Attracts Pollinators, Deciduous, Full Shade, Illinois Native, Medium, Native to North America, Naturalizing, Non-Allergenic, Partial Sun, Perennial, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Woodland Garden
Bloom Period May - June
Flower Color Blue
Foliage Color
 

Absolutely Easy Garden Recipes that include Jacob's Ladder
 

More Info from Experts

Photos of This with...

Pink Chablis Deadnettle
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 04/13 - 09/30


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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!