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Polemonium reptans is a perennial herbaceous plant native to eastern North America. Common names include spreading Jacob's ladder, creeping Jacob's ladder, false Jacob's ladder, abscess root, American Greek valerian, blue bells, stairway to heaven, and sweatroot.
DescriptionEdit
Jacob's ladder grows Template:Convert tall, with pinnate leaves up to Template:Convert long with 5–13 leaflets. The leaves and flower stems grow from a vertical crown with abundant fibrous roots.<ref name="illinois" />
The flowers are produced in panicles on weak stems from mid to late spring. They are 1.3 cm (Template:Frac in) long and have five light blue-violet petals that are fused at the base, enclosed by a tubular calyx with five pointed lobes.<ref name="illinois">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The pollen is white. The stigma extends beyond the anthers, making self-pollination difficult, so insects must cross-pollinate for the plants to produce seed.<ref name="pollinators" />
Pollinated flowers develop into an oval pod with three chambers, 6 mm (Template:Frac in) long, which is enclosed by the green calyx. The plant spreads by reseeding itself. The Latin specific epithet reptans means creeping.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
- Jacob's Ladder Polemonium reptens Leaves 3008px.JPG
Leaves
- Jacob's Ladder Polemonium reptens Flower Buds 2628px.jpg
Oval seed pods enclosed in green calyces
EcologyEdit
The flowers produce both pollen and nectar. Long- and short-tongued bees visit the plants for both nectar and pollen, syrphid flies and fire beetles (Pedilus lugubris) feed on pollen, and butterflies and moths drink nectar. Out of these insects, large bees are the most effective at cross-pollination, since they most often touch the pollen-covered anthers.<ref name="pollinators">Template:Cite book</ref>
Range and habitatEdit
Polemonium reptans is typically found in rich, moist woods, often along streambanks.<ref name=Carman>Template:Cite book</ref><ref name=Horn>Template:Cite book</ref> Its range extends from Minnesota to New Hampshire in the north, and from Georgia to Mississippi in the south.<ref name=Horn /> It is most abundant west of the Appalachian Mountains.<ref name="Carman" /><ref name="Horn" />
CultivationEdit
The plant prefers partial shade and mesic soil. It tolerates full sun, but requires constantly moist soil.<ref name="pollinators" />
UsesEdit
The dried roots have a slightly bitter and acrid taste. P. reptans has been traditionally used as an herbal medicine for febrile and inflammatory diseases, to ease coughs, colds and bronchial complaints, and to encourage perspiration.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is furthermore said to bring relief in cases of inflammations and infections.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> The root is rarely used in modern herbalism. It is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use.