PlantFiles: Jacob's Ladder
Polemonium caeruleum 'Brise d'Anjou'

I love this plant for it's delicate variegated leaves and planted it last fall in a new bed with other multicolored and unusual plants. it thrived in the cool weather and came back several times from being almost totally eaten by rabbits. However, now it is doing poorly with the summer's heat and probably not enough water. After reading other posts I will be moving it to a shadier area, adding compost around it, and giving it more water. I gave it a positive rating since it was so hardy in cooler, wetter weather, and I think the problem is it doesn't like direct hot sun and needs extra water in our dry no rain summers. I will report back.

This plant has a MUCH finer leaf structure and variegation than 'Snow & Sapphires'. Purchased two 1" pots last spring - planted in shade. They've thrived, although both exhibited weak foliage stems. Winter was milder than usual, but with little lasting snow cover, both plants stayed "evergreen" and are beginning to put forth new leaves. This week transplanted to morning sun locale - hoping they'll appreciate 3-4 hours of direct sun. If this translates into a more vigorous appearance, these will be at the top of my foliage perennials list.

This is a patented plant.

Bought 2 and possibly planted them too close together, something went wrong. one died within a month. The other is still flourishing in a shady, moist soil area. Cool looking plant.

Medium 18-24" - Plant 16" apart. zone 4-8 The elegant, vibrant, creamy variegated foliage brightens any garden spot. Violet-blue flowers. If you live in an area of hot summers, this plant will require full to partial shade. Has to be one of the best, most neatly variegated plants ever produced. A Blooms of Bressingham selection.

Not for the Gulf states.

I've had this growing in a shady spot in my herb garden for a couple of years, it always comes back and looks great right now (snow just melted...mid March). I'm zone 6a.

I bought two from the Botanic Gardens here in Memphis, TN, zone 7. They did wonderfully on the porch for 2-3 months. I was going out of town in July for a week, so I planted them in a shady area. One of the hurricanes loaded us with water as we were coming home, they were in a puddle. I dug them up and put them back on the front porch, they just withered away. I put them in my greenhouse on the front porch, no return. I'm not sure if they dried out before the rain or not. A friend checked periodically, but I lost them.

This gorgeous plant has been deer-proof in our heavily browsed yard near regional park land.

Grows very well for me in Z8b. I have had it for going on 5 seasons now, and have divided it 3 times. Small 'pups' formed around the outside of the base plant, making division very easy.

I have great luck with this plant at 3500' in Z5a....However, I grow it in more shade than sun...it is in with my hostas. Our hot summer days were too much for the delicate foliage. It just finished blooming its little blue flowers which are to me, insignificant. This is a nice plant to add where there is a lot of green. It has texture as well as color.

I live in columbus ohio. We are noted as zone 5. I planted this along the inside of my front patio area in a protected area and mulched heavily. Although I have read several books that state it will not survive here, mine is coming up this spring already. I may have been lucky.

I am in zone 5A(4B), and have tried this plant several times in several places - has NEVER come back, and sometimes didn't even make it through the season! This is the only jacobs ladder I have been unsuccessful with!

This hybrid with gorgeous foliage has become quite popular in the trade. It came through it's first winter here in zone 5 with flying colors, but I could tell it was declining by the time fall rolled back around. The base of the plant becomes woody and and it looses it's vigor. I dug mine and divided it into several small pieces hoping to save it. I'll post back with the results in the spring.