Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Jacob's
Ladder
(Greek Valerian)
Polemonium reptans
[C-value
5]
Phlox family (Polemoniaceae)
Blooms mid-April -
May
The lovely native Jacob's Ladder is common in our area. It prefers light shade or dappled sun and slightly moist loamy soil. Habitats include deciduous woodlands, lower wooded slopes, and shaded banks of streams. This perennial is ½–1½' tall with leafy stems, somewhat angular and having a tendency to lean or sprawl. The alternate compound leaves are simple odd-pinnate and up to 8" long, consisting of about 5-15 opposing leaflets ¾-1¼" long, untoothed and elliptic-shaped. The upper stems terminate in loose panicles of floppy or nodding flowers, each about 2/3" across and bell-shaped with 5 light blue-violet rounded petals.
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Jacob's Ladder at Maramech Forest Preserve May 14, 2013
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Jacob's Ladder at Hoover Forest Preserve native garden May 14, 2015
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Jacob's Ladder (ladder-like leaves) at Maramech Forest Preserve May 14, 2013
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