Polemonium yezoense var. hidakanum 'Purple Rain'
Hokkaido Jacob's ladder 'Purple Rain'
'Purple Rain' is a herbaceous perennial producing a mound of foliage with very small leaflets in dark green flushed with purple-black. Star-shaped, purple flowers with prominent stamens and cream anthers appear in small clusters on dark stems in early summer
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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Black Green Purple | Black Green Purple | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Black Green Purple | Purple | Black Green Purple | |
| Autumn | ||||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
- Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H7Botanical details
- Family
- Polemoniaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Bushy
- Genus
Polemonium can be annuals or herbaceous perennials or upright or spreading habit, with pinnate leaves and usually clustered, tubular, bell, or funnel-shaped flowers
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in any fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown in containers in a cold frame, in autumn or spring, and select seedlings with the best-coloured foliage or divide in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- City and courtyard gardens
- Flower borders and beds
- Cut flowers
Pruning
Cut back foliage to ground level at the end of the season
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Powdery mildews can sometimes be a problem
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