Quick Facts
- Also called:
- Greek Valerian
- Related Topics:
- Polemoniaceae
- Polemonium caeruleum
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Jacob's ladder
Jacob's ladder (Polemonium caeruleum)
Jacobās ladder
plant
Also known as: Greek valerian, Polemonium
Jacobās ladder, any of about 25 species of the genus Polemonium of the family Polemoniaceae, native to temperate areas in North and South America and Eurasia. Many are valued as garden flowers and wildflowers. They have loose, spikelike clusters of drooping blue, violet, or white, funnel-shaped, five-petaled flowers and alternate, pinnately (featherlike) compound leaves.
Polemonium caeruleum is native to European woodlands and mountains and widely grown as a garden flower. It can grow to 90 cm (3 feet) tall and has large blue or white flowers.
Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.