Herb: Jacob's Ladder


Latin name: Polemonium caeruleum


Family: Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family)



Medicinal use of Jacob's Ladder:

The herb is astringent and diaphoretic. It was formerly used internally in the treatment of a wide range of conditions ranging from headaches to fevers and epilepsy. The plant is harvested in the summer and dried for later use.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
40 cm
(1 foot)

Flowering:
June
to July

Habitat of the herb:

Margins of woods and swamps, by streams, especially on turf and usually in limestone hills.

Propagation of Jacob's Ladder:

Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. Another report says that the seed is best sown in a cold frame in the autumn. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer. Division in early spring or early autumn. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation of the herb:

Margins of woods and swamps, by streams, especially on turf and usually in limestone hills.

Known hazards of Polemonium caeruleum:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.