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Alpine RockeryHerbaceous Perennial

Polemonium viscosum

sticky Jacob's ladder

A compact herbaceous perennial to 30cm tall with sticky, pinnate leaves up to 15cm long made up of many spoon-shaped leaflets and blue-purple flowers borne in late spring and early summer

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Ultimate height

0.1–0.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.1–0.5 metres

Chalk

Clay

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Moist but well–drained, Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun
Partial shade

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Polemoniaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Matforming
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: Correct
Plant range: Canada to USA

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed or by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Rock garden
Gravel garden
Patio and container plants

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free but may be affected by powdery mildews

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