Tall Jacob's-Ladder

Polemonium villosum

Tall Jacob's-Ladder

NPS / Jacob W. Frank: Denali National Park and Preserve

Taxonomy

Division:
Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
Family:
Polemoniaceae
Genus:
Polemonium
Species:
Polemonium villosum

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Forb/herb
Height:
2-3 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
jun, aug
Bloom Colors:
Purple

Native Range

United States: Alaska, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Northwest Territories, Yukon

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★★★★★ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
moist, well-drained, organic-rich soil
pH:
5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
Drainage:
excellent drainage required
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
native to alpine and subalpine meadows

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Cold-moist stratification for 30 days at 1–5°C (34–41°F).

Source: OpenAI GPT-4o