| IDENTIFICATION |
| Common Name: |
JACOB'S LADDER |
| Meaning: |
leaves like a ladder. |
| Scientific Name: |
Polemonium pulcherrimum |
| Synonyms: |
P. delicatum |
| Family: |
Phlox - Polemoniaceae |
| Family Characteristics: |
showy, radially symmetrical flowers (can be divided in half any way to produce mirror images) often tubular with 5 flaring lobes; styles (connects stigma to the ovary) 1 with 3 stigmas (pollen-receiving part of the female organ). |
| Species Characteristics: |
clusters of weak, wooly stems; smelly, skunk-like odor. |
| Mature Height: |
10 inches. |
| Flower Color: |
blue or violet, sometimes white or pinkish. |
| Flower Shape: |
campanulate (bell-shaped). |
| Petal Number: |
5 |
| Flower Symmetry: |
radial |
| Fruit Type: |
capsule (dry, multi-chambered fruit splitting at maturity). |
| Leaf Type: |
alternate (one leaf per node - joint where the leaf joins the stem) and pinnately (like a feather) dissected into 1/2" leaflets. |
| Leaf/Leaflet Shape: |
lanceolate (lance-shaped). |
| ECOLOGY |
| Frequency: |
common |
| Growth Form: |
herbaceous |
| Life Cycle: |
perennial |
| Class: |
angiosperm (plant with covered seed). |
| SubClass: |
dicot (plants with two seed leaves and netted leaf veins). |
| Season of Bloom: |
summer (Jun. - Aug.). |
| Life Zone: |
subalpine/alpine. |
| Habitat: |
prefers shade, grows under conifers, in thickets and moist meadows |
| WEED MANAGEMENT |
| Origin: |
native |
Version: 2.4.1 Release Date: June 2010 ©2010 Jefferson County ITS
