[Jacob's Ladders: The Genus Polemonium in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon and Washington]


Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium

Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum

Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense

Flowers of Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense) - Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense) - Compound pinnate leaves of Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)

Showy polemonium as seen at the summit of Tiffany Mountain, Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest........July 27, 2018.

Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)Showy polemonium (Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum) from +9000 feet on Steen's Mt.........8/3/95.
Characteristics:

Showy jacob's ladder is a pretty, loosely branched perennial wildflower arising to 50 cm high. Plants are typically somewhat glandular in the inflorescence. The leaves are largely basal, and typically tufted and larger than the ones on the stems. The leaf is compound pinnate, with 11 to 25 leaflets. (See photo at right.)

The inflorescence is a congested cyme, somewhat scorpion-tailed in shape. The tube is about 7 to 13 mm long and about as wide. The lobes or reflexed petals are about equal to double in size. The flowers are blue in color, often with a yellow "eye". This is an easy to grow wildflower for the woodland to open garden.

There are two varieties in Oregon and Washington.

Variety pulcherrimum is smaller and more compact in size, seldom being more than 20 cm tall. The leaflets are typically less than 1 cm long and 5 mm wide.

Variety calycinum is usually more than 30 cm tall, with fewer but larger leaflets (the larger ones usually more than 1 cm long and 55 mm wide.


Habitat:

Showy jacob's ladder is found in a variety of habitats from moderate to high elevation in the mountains. It may be found at exposed sites above timberline, or may be found in moist or shaded places within the forest.


Range:

Showy jacob's ladder is a widespread wildflower, ranging from Alaska south to California, and eastward to the Rocky Mts.


Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)

Showy polemonium (Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum) from +9000 feet on Steen's Mt.........8/3/95.

Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense) - Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)

Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense) - Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)

Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)

Showy jacob's ladder (var. pulcherrimum) from along the North Loop Road near the head of Little Blitzen Gorge, Steens Mountain, southeastern Oregon........July 10, 2014.


Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)

Showy polemonium (Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum) from +9000 feet on Steen's Mt.........8/3/95.

Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)

A close-up of the calyx and corolla of showy jacob's ladder (var. pulcherrimum) from the head of Little Blitzen Gorge, Steens Mt., southeastern Oregon........June 25, 2000.

Leaf of Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense)

A leaf of showy jacob's ladder (var. pulcherrimum) from the head of Little Blitzen Gorge, Steens Mt., southeastern Oregon........June 25, 2000.

Inflorescence of Showy Jacob's Ladder: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum - Sideview of the flower of Showy Jacob's Ladder: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum

Flowers of Showy Polemonium, Showy Jacob's-ladder, Jacob's-ladder, Skunk-leaved Polemonium: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum (Synonyms: Polemonium berryi, Polemonium haydenii, Polemonium pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pilosum, Polemonium pulcherrimum var. pulcherrimum, Polemonium shastense) - Pinnately compound leaf of Showy Jacob's Ladder: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum

Four close-ups of the flowers and leaves of showy Jacob's ladder as seen in the author's rock garden in Gresham, OR.............May 3, 2009. The plant came from seeds collected in the Okanogan in north-central Washington. Click each photo to see an enlarged view (2x).

Showy Jacob's Ladder: Polemonium pulcherrimum ssp. pulcherrimum

Showy Jacob's ladder as seen in the author's rock garden in Gresham, OR.............May 3, 2009. The plant came from seeds collected in the Okanogan in north-central Washington.

Paul Slichter