Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven'

Polemonium reptans 'Stairway to Heaven' produces low mounds of green-and-white variegated foliage that provide a lively background for sprays of bell-shaped blue flowers that add color to sunny and part-sun gardens in spring and early summer. The creamy white leaf margins of this Jacob’s Ladder are often accented with pink in spring and when temperatures are cool. Plants prosper in evenly moist, woodsy soil and along the banks of streams.

The genus Polemonium includes at least 25 species. Members are native to temperate and arctic regions predominantly in the Northern Hemisphere and particularly to mountainous areas. Their common name, Jacob’s Ladder, recalls the Old Testament story of Jacob who dreamt about a ladder reaching to the heavens, a reference to the perennial’s pinnately compound leaves, which are ladderlike in the arrangement of their leaflets. Flowers are generally shades of blue (but can very occasionally be white, pink, or purple) and they bloom mostly in spring. The foliage remains handsome throughout summer. More upright forms of Jacob’s Ladder look lovely in perennial borders and woodland gardens, while the spreading varieties are ideal for adding to rock gardens and alpine collections.

For more information on growing and care, click Growing Guide.

We want our customers to receive strong, healthy plants that are ready to thrive in their gardens and homes. Here's what we'd like you to know about our shipping practices.

Delivery Timing

We aim to deliver your plants at as close to the proper time for planting in your area as possible. To do so, we consider the USDA Hardiness Zone to which we're shipping, current and forecasted weather at the destination and along the shipping route, and whether your plants are ready for transplant.

In spring, we ship first to the warmest regions and move north as planting conditions improve. For fall deliveries, we begin with the coolest regions and work south. We frequently adjust shipping schedules when extreme weather could put plants at risk while in transit or soon after arrival.

Because different plants reach readiness at different rates and are weather-sensitive in varying degree, a single order may be delivered via multiple shipments. Plants sold as part of a collection, or that are otherwise meant to arrive together, will be shipped together. Please contact our customer service team with two weeks' advance notice if you anticipate being away at the expected time of delivery. 

Tracking information for each package is delivered via email. 

Plant & Container Sizes

We deliver plants in various sizes and stages of growth, and the product detail pages of our website indicate the form and/or pot size in which the plant will be delivered. Pot sizes range from 1 pint to 1 gallon and larger. Many perennials, roses, shrubs and vines are delivered bareroot - that is, not in a container at all. Bulbs and tubers are generally delivered bareroot and fully dormant. We choose container sizes and delivery methods based on how each plant grows best, how we can minimize transplant shock, and how to minimize unnecessary bulk/weight in shipment. 

Caring for Your Plants Upon Arrival

It is important to acclimate greenhouse-grown plants to life outdoors. All plant shipments include simple instructions for handling your plants upon arrival. Further how-to information, including planting instructions, is available on each plant's product page.

Latin Name Pronunciation:  poh-leh-moh' nee-um

This U.S. native perennial wildflower prospers in evenly moist, woodsy soil and along the banks of streams. Foliage appears in spring then in May and June, loose stalks of bell-shaped flowers make their appearance, generally in shades of blue. Although plants have rhizomes and form clumps of about 15-18" across, they spread by self-seeding when in the right growing conditions. More upright forms of Jacob’s Ladder look lovely in perennial borders and woodland gardens, while the spreading varieties are ideal for adding to rock gardens and alpine collections.

Light: Prefers part shade but will tolerate full sun in cool summer climates.
Watering: Grow in moist, humusy, well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. Does not like to be soggy. Once well-established it is drought tolerant.
Fertilizer, Soil & pH: Fertilize lightly once in early spring with 5-10-5 or 10-10-10.
Pests/Diseases: No serious insect or disease problems if planted in well-drained soil and not overwatered. Deer resistant.
Reflowering: Cut back flower stems to the base after flowering to encourage rebloom.
Dividing/Transplanting: Space plants 12-15” apart. Grows by rhizomes but spreads by self-seeding. Can be divided in early spring as new growth appears. Long flower stems may become leggy in the spring and can be trimmed.
Companions: Combine with Hostas, Ferns, Heucheras

Calendar of Care

Early Spring: Cut back any remaining stems from the fall. After the plants in your garden have emerged, weed around them and apply a light 1-2” layer of compost.
Late Spring: Once the ground warms, a light 2-3” layer of mulch will help conserve moisture in the soil and insulate roots. After flowering, cut back flower stalks to the base to encourage reblooming and to tidy leggy plants. Flowers can also be removed to prevent self-seeding.
Summer: Be sure plants are getting enough water. If weather conditions are dry, monitor the soil for moisture and, if necessary, get out the hose or watering can. Keep in mind that plants in their first season need roughly 1” of water per week. Weed to remove unwanted plants that can crowd or take nutrients away from your plants.
Fall & End-of-Season Care: Plants can be cut back to the ground once they finish blooming or you may choose to leave them standing until early spring.

At White Flower Farm, we stand firmly behind every product we sell and are proud to offer a money-back guarantee on each and every item offered on our website and at our store in Connecticut. Some modest terms and conditions apply, click here for details.

Should you have any questions about how our guarantee applies to a particular product or circumstance, our customer service team will be happy to help – please contact us at (800) 411-6159 or [email protected].