''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...

s in the family

Polemoniaceae The Polemoniaceae (Jacob's-ladder or phlox family) are a family of flowering plants consisting of about 25 genera with 270–400 species of annuals and perennials native to the Northern Hemisphere and South America, with the center of diversity ...

, native to cool

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout t ...

arctic The Arctic ( or ) is a polar regions of Earth, polar region located at the northernmost part of Earth. The Arctic consists of the Arctic Ocean, adjacent seas, and parts of Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut), Danish Realm (Greenla ...

regions of the

Northern Hemisphere The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...

. One species also occurs in the southern

Andes The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

. Many of the species grow at high altitudes, in mountainous areas. Most of the uncertainty in the number of species relates to those in Eurasia, many of which have been synonymized with ''

Polemonium caeruleum ''Polemonium caeruleum'', known as Jacob's-ladder or Greek valerian, is a hardy perennial flowering plant. The plant produces cup-shaped, blue or white flowers. It is native to temperate regions of Europe. Growth The plant usually reaches tall ...

''. ''Polemonium'' are

perennial plant A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

s (rarely

annual plant An annual plant is a plant that completes its life cycle, from germination to the production of seeds, within one growing season, and then dies. The length of growing seasons and period in which they take place vary according to geographical ...

s) growing 10–120 cm tall with bright green

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

divided into lance-shaped leaflets. They produce blue (rarely white or pink)

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s in the spring and summer. Some species are used as food plants by the

larva A larva (; plural larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle. The ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) is an order (biology), order of insects that includes butterfly, butterflies and moths (both are called lepidopterans). About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera are described, in 126 Family (biology), families and 46 Taxonomic r ...

species including '' Coleophora polemoniella''.

Species

Kew Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is a ...

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. It was launched in March 2017 with the ultimate aim being "to enable users to access information on all the world's known seed-bearing plants by ...

accepts 37 species. Many are locally known simply as "Jacob's ladder". *''

Polemonium acutiflorum ''Polemonium acutiflorum'', known as tall Jacob's-ladder, is a flowering plant in the family Polemoniaceae. It is native to western Canada and Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'i ...

'' – tall Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium boreale ''Polemonium boreale'', the northern Jacob's-ladder or boreal Jacobs-ladder, is a plant native to the most of the high arctic. In Greenland it is found only in a small area on the east coast. It is not very common. The whole plant is pubescent, ...

'' – northern Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium brandegeei ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' – Brandegee's Jacob's ladder *''

'' – Jacob's ladder (the original plant to bear this name); charity *''

Polemonium californicum ''Polemonium californicum'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names moving polemonium, low Jacob's-ladder, and California Jacob's ladder. It is native to the northwestern United States, where it grows in sha ...

'' – showy Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium campanulatum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium carneum ''Polemonium carneum'' is a plant native to the northwestern United States west of the crest of the Cascade Range, from Washington south through Oregon to the San Francisco Bay Area in California. Etymology Common names include royal Jacob's-lad ...

'' – royal Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium caucasicum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium chartaceum ''Polemonium chartaceum'' is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names Mason's Jacob's-ladder and Mason's sky pilot. It is native to California, where it has a disjunct distribution. It occurs in the Klamath ...

'' – Mason's Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium chinense ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium confertum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' – Rocky Mountain Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium eddyense ''Polemonium eddyense'' is a perennial wildflower species in the family Polemoniaceae with the common name Mount Eddy sky pilot. It is endemic to a small area around Mount Eddy, California. Description ''Polemonium eddyense'' is a small herb wit ...

'' – Mount Eddy Jacob's-ladder *''

Polemonium elegans ''Polemonium elegans'', the elegant Jacob's-ladder, is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family found in the United States. References External links * * elegans Plants described in 1898 {{Polemoniaceae-stub ...

'' – elegant Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium elusum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' – elusive Jacob's-ladder *''

Polemonium eximium ''Polemonium eximium'', the skypilot or showy sky pilot, is a perennial plant in the phlox family (Polemoniaceae) that grows at high altitudes (mostly above ).Sierra Nevada Wildflowers, Elizabeth Horn, Mountain Press Publishing Co., , 1998, p. 12 ...

'' – sky pilot *''

Polemonium foliosissimum ''Polemonium foliosissimum'', the towering Jacob's-ladder, is a rare species of flowering plant in the phlox family Polemoniaceae, native to the western United States; Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. As its synonym ...

'' – towering Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium glabrum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium grandiflorum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium hingganicum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium kiushianum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium majus ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium mexicanum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium micranthum ''Polemonium micranthum'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names annual polemonium or annual Jacob's-ladder. It is native to western North America from British Columbia to North Dakota to California as well ...

'' – annual polemonium *''

Polemonium nevadense ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' – Nevada Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium occidentale ''Polemonium occidentale'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names western polemonium and western Jacob's-ladder. There are two subspecies.Schmidt, L. JConservation Assessment for ''Polemonium occidentale'' ...

'' – western Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium pauciflorum ''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 Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the ...

'' – few-flower Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium pectinatum ''Polemonium pectinatum'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by the common names Washington Jacob's-ladder and Washington polemonium. It is endemic to the state of Washington in the United States, where it occurs in the C ...

'' – Washington Jacob's ladder *'' Polemonium pulchellum'' *'' Polemonium pulcherrimum'' – beautiful Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium reptans ''Polemonium reptans'' is a perennial herbaceous plant native to eastern North America. Common names include spreading Jacob's ladder, creeping Jacob's ladder, false Jacob's ladder, abscess root, American Greek valerian, blue bells, stairway to h ...

'' – Jacob's ladder, Greek valerian *'' Polemonium sachalinense'' *''

Polemonium schizanthum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium schmidtii ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' * ''Polemonium'' × ''speciosum'' *'' Polemonium sumushanense'' *''

Polemonium vanbruntiae ''Polemonium vanbruntiae'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family Polemoniaceae. It is known by the common names Appalachian Jacob's ladder, bog Jacob's-ladder, and Vanbrunt's polemonium. It is native to eastern Canada and the northe ...

'' – Vanbrunt's Jacob's ladder * ''Polemonium'' × ''victoris'' *''

Polemonium vilosissimum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Jacob's Ladder, Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate clim ...

'' *''

Polemonium villosum ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

'' *''

Polemonium viscosum ''Polemonium viscosum'', known as sky pilot, skunkweed, sticky Jacobs-ladder, and sticky polemonium, is a flowering plant in the genus ''Polemonium'' native to western North America from southern British Columbia east to Montana and south to Ariz ...

'' – sticky polemonium *''

Polemonium yezoense ''Polemonium'', commonly called Jacob's ladders or Jacob's-ladders (the name derived from the Biblical story), is a genus of between 25 and 40 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions o ...

References

Polemoniaceae genera {{Polemoniaceae-stub