Light
Part shade or dappled light. Hot afternoon sun burns the white edges.
Growing guide · Perennials
Polemonium reptans
How to grow Creeping Jacob's Ladder 'Stairway to Heaven'.
Variegated ladders. Sky-blue bells.
- Light
- Part sun, shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Zones
- 4–8
- Size
- 12–18 in. tall, 12–18 in. wide
- Spacing
- 12–18 in. apart.
- Pets
- Not on the ASPCA pet-safe list; keep it out of reach
Water
Keep evenly moist; do not let it dry out in summer.
Planting and soil
Plant spring or fall in rich, woodsy soil.
Feeding
Compost in spring.
Pruning
Cut flower stems to the base after bloom.
Through the year
Leaves emerge pink-tinged in spring. Blooms April–May. Foliage holds through fall.
If something's off
Leaf scorch in sun or drought. Can go a bit dormant in hot, dry summers.
Plays well with
Plant it with friends.
Why we stock it: A native woodland plant with variegated foliage that brightens shade long after it blooms.
Grows wild in 17 states (USDA PLANTS records).
That's everything we know about growing it. Thanks for reading.
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Jacob's Ladder 'Stairway to Heaven'from $34.99 · Arrives alive, or we replace it
The Sunday Tip · every SundayThe Sunday Tip · you're on the list
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What to plant this week in your zone, every Sunday. New ways to plant and odd tricks that actually work.
Sunday's tip is written for your zone: what to plant this week, and a kit that fits.Set your zone and Sunday's tip gets specific: what to plant this week, and a kit that fits.
Patio pot kit
Balcony Brag
Forty square feet, big opinions.
4 plants · $165.92In a pot, any zone
See the kit →
Deer-resistant border kit
Deer Can't Even
Everything in it tastes terrible to deer.
12 plants · $392.88Zones 5–8
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Office kit
The Desk Set
Three small plants, one desk.
3 plants · $45Indoors, any zone
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Drought garden kit
The Hot, Dry Bank
For the slope the hose doesn't reach.
14 plants · $554.86Zones 5–9
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Mailbox garden kit
The Mailbox Bed
Curb appeal in one afternoon.
8 plants · $159.92Zones 3–10
See the kit →
Pollinator garden kit
The Pollinator Buffet
Open seating for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.
14 plants · $424.86Zones 4–9
See the kit →
Shade garden kit
Shade Layers
For the spot the sun forgot.
8 plants · $151.92Zones 3–9
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Edible kit · plant this fall
The Snack Garden
Pick it, eat it, walk away.
4 plants · $199.80Zones 5–10
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