Jacob's ladder    

Divide the rootball every 3-4 years carefully as roots are tender.

Will tolerate full sun only in climates with cool summers. Part shade is best.

Deadhead to prolong blooming throughout the season.

Contrary to the above information, my seed germinated in SIX days and my plants bloom in late spring and early summer.

Try to plant in a location that enjoys dappled sun / partial sun and remember to water often. Use Zone 3 - Zone 7 as your guideline for the appropriate climate for this plant. A soil ph of between 5.5 and 7.5 is ideal for Jacob's ladder as it does best in weakly acidic soil - weakly alkaline soil. Keep in mind when planting that Jacob's ladder is thought of as hardy, so it can be safe to leave outdoors for the majority of winter (although if in doubt, using a row cover is often a good idea).

See our list of companion Plants for Jacob's ladder to see which plants you should plant in close proximity to encourage growth.

Sow direct into the ground early spring or early summer. Self seeds freely.

By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Jacob's ladder about 56 days before your last frost date .

These estimates for how long Jacob's ladder takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

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Our when to plant Jacob's ladder estimates are relative to your last frost date.

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The botanical epithet is from the Latin caerulea meaning “off whitein color”, “creamy” or “almost blue”.¹

The ancient Greeks used this plant to treat dysentery, toothaches, and bites.

Greek valerian, Jacobs Ladder

Polemonium caeruleum L.

¹ Latin Dictionary