Pollinator plant

Jacob's ladder

Polemonium reptans

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Common names

15 names · 10 languages
EnglishYour language
Other languages (9)
Dutch
  • Kleine Jakobsladder[2][3]
  • Kruipende jacobsladder
French
  • Polémoine rampante[2][3]
  • Valériane grecque rampante[2][3]
  • Échelle de Jacob rampante[2][3]
Chinese (Simplified)
  • 匍匐花荵[3]
Czech
  • jirnice plazivá[3]
Finnish
  • niittysinilatva[3]
German
  • Kriechende Himmelsleiter[4]
Russian
  • Синюха ползучая[3]
Slovak
  • vojnovka plazivá[3]
Swedish
  • krypblågull[3]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Polemonium reptans — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Jacob's Ladder — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Polemonium reptans.
  • Greek Valerian — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Polemonium reptans.
[2] Polemonium reptans — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Jacob's ladder — results[0].names[2]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Greek valerian — results[0].names[3]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Spreading Jacob's-Ladder — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Polémoine rampante — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Valériane grecque rampante — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Échelle de Jacob rampante — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Kleine Jakobsladder — results[0].names[4]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
[3] Polemonium reptans — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Jacob's ladder — results[14].names[2]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Greek valerian — results[14].names[3]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Spreading Jacob's-Ladder — results[14].names[11]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Polémoine rampante — results[14].names[8]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Valériane grecque rampante — results[14].names[9]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Échelle de Jacob rampante — results[14].names[10]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Kleine Jakobsladder — results[14].names[4]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • niittysinilatva — results[14].names[5]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • jirnice plazivá — results[14].names[6]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • krypblågull — results[14].names[7]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • Синюха ползучая — results[14].names[12]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • 匍匐花荵 — results[14].names[13]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
  • vojnovka plazivá — results[14].names[14]; taxon id 67524; Polemonium reptans.
[4] Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20 — Polemonium reptans ↗

Common names from World Plants, version 26.05, reproduced in Catalogue of Life 2026-08-20. License: CC BY.

Source records
  • Greek valerian (EN) — VernacularName.tsv, line 153706; taxon 4KXJV.
  • Kriechende Himmelsleiter (DE) — VernacularName.tsv, line 153707; taxon 4KXJV.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Taxonomy
Polemonium reptans is an accepted species in Catalogue of Life.

Taxonomic treatment in the August 2026 release; the catalogue record name is preserved.

Sources [1]
Botanical family
Polemoniaceae

Family in the cited taxonomic treatment.

Sources [1]
Mature height
0.3–0.91 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.46–0.91 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Creeping

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Perennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Loam (Silt)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Spring; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Native range
E. Canada to NC. & E. U.S.A.

Explicit native locality records in Kew WCVP v16; introduced and doubtful distributions excluded. Continent conversion follows the documented geographic mapping.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Medium
Pollen value Unknown
Plant profile

About this plant

Jacob's ladder (Polemonium reptans) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from April to June.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Polemonium reptans — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: TaxonomyBotanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: NameUsage.tsv line 990239; ID 4KXJV; rank species; status accepted
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 990239; ID 4KXJV; rank species; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Polemonium reptans — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: Mature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureFlowering seasonReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Polemonium reptans — Kew WCVP native distribution

    Native distribution and taxonomic treatment from the official WCVP v16 export (4 June 2026). The link opens the corresponding POWO taxon. Source rows are retained in the native-range audit archive.

    Supports: Native range
    Relevant sections
    • Native range: WCVP v16; wcvp_names.csv lines 657094; wcvp_distribution.csv native locality lines 1067177, 1067178, 1067179, 1067180, 1067181, 1067182, 1067183, 1067184, 1067185, 1067186, 1067187, 1067188, 1067189, 1067190, 1067191, 1067192, 1067193, 1067194, 1067195, 1067196, 1067197, 1067198, 1067199, 1067200, 1067201, 1067202, 1067203, 1067204, 1067205, 1067206, 1067207, 1067208, 1067209

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 3.0.