''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 (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Polemoniaceae The Polemoniaceae (Jacob's-ladder or phlox family) are a family of flowering plants consisting of about 27 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 (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...

arctic The Arctic (; . ) is the polar regions of Earth, polar region of Earth that surrounds the North Pole, lying within the Arctic Circle. The Arctic region, from the IERS Reference Meridian travelling east, consists of parts of northern Norway ( ...

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 by humans as being in the same celestial sphere, celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the Solar ...

. One species, ''

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 ...

'', also occurs in the southern

Andes The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the List of longest mountain chains on Earth, longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range ...

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a considerably smaller portion in the Northern Hemisphere. It can also be described as the southern Subregion#Americas, subregion o ...

. 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. It is the type species of the phlox fami ...

''. ''Polemonium'' are

perennial plant In horticulture, the term perennial (''wikt:per-#Prefix, per-'' + ''wikt:-ennial#Suffix, -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annual plant, annuals and biennial plant, biennials. It has thus been d ...

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. Globally, 6% of all plant species and 15% of herbaceous plants (excluding trees and shrubs) are ...

s) growing 10–120 cm tall with bright green

leaves A leaf (: leaves) is a principal appendage of the stem of a vascular plant, usually borne laterally above ground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", while the leaves, stem, ...

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

flower Flowers, also known as blooms and blossoms, are the reproductive structures of flowering plants ( angiosperms). Typically, they are structured in four circular levels, called whorls, around the end of a stalk. These whorls include: calyx, m ...

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

larva A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase ...

e of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

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 ...

Plants of the World Online Plants of the World Online (POWO) is an online taxonomic database published by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. History Following the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew launched Plants of the World Online i ...

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 ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North Americ ...

'' – tall Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium boreale ''Polemonium boreale'', the northern Jacob's-ladder or boreal Jacobs-ladder, is a plant native to 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, with ...

'' – 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 ...

'' – 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 ...

'' *''

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-la ...

'' – 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 ...

'' *''

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 ...

'' *'' Polemonium confertum'' – 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 species of 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'' – sky pilot *'' Polemonium foliosissimum'' – towering Jacob's ladder *'' Polemonium glabrum'' *''

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 kiushianum'' *'' Polemonium majus'' *'' Polemonium mexicanum'' *''

'' – annual polemonium *'' Polemonium nevadense'' – Nevada Jacob's ladder *'' Polemonium occidentale'' – western Jacob's ladder *'' Polemonium pauciflorum'' – few-flower Jacob's ladder *'' Polemonium pectinatum'' – Washington Jacob's ladder *'' Polemonium pulchellum'' *''

Polemonium pulcherrimum ''Polemonium pulcherrimum'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family known by several common names, including beautiful Jacob's-ladder, showy Jacob's-ladder, and skunk-leaved polemonium. It is native to western North America from Ala ...

'' – beautiful Jacob's ladder *''

Polemonium reptans ''Polemonium reptans'' is a perennial plant, 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 bel ...

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

Polemonium sachalinense ''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 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'' × ''speciosum'' *''

Polemonium sumushanense ''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 vanbruntiae ''Polemonium vanbruntiae'' is a species of flowering plant in the phlox family (biology), 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 Can ...

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

Polemonium vilosissimum ''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 villosum'' *'' Polemonium viscosum'' – sticky polemonium *'' Polemonium yezoense''

References

Polemoniaceae genera {{Polemoniaceae-stub