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Spreading Jacob's Ladder

About Spreading Jacob's Ladder

Spreading Jacob's Ladder is a relatively rare houseplant 🌿 that is isn’t challenging to grow and needs regular watering to thrive. They do best in long-lasting, direct light ☀️ and should be less than 1 foot from a window.

Spreading Jacob's Ladder likes soil that is good at retaining moisture. Your plant shouldn't need added fertilizers if you repot each time it doubles in size.

Spreading Jacob's Ladder belongs to the Polemonium genus, and is native to North America.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Polemonium reptans

Genus

Polemonium

Family

Polemoniaceae

Order

Ericales

Also known as

spreading Jacob's ladder, creeping Jacob's ladder, false Jacob's ladder, abscess root, American Greek valerian, blue bells, stairway to heaven, sweatroot, Jacobs Ladder and Varigated Jacobs Ladder

How to care for Spreading Jacob's Ladder

💦 Water

How often to water your Spreading Jacob's Ladder

Spreading Jacob's Ladder needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Spreading Jacob's Ladder in your home

Spreading Jacob's Ladder love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Spreading Jacob's Ladder does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Spreading Jacob's Ladder in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Spreading Jacob's Ladder

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Spreading Jacob's Ladder: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Spreading Jacob's Ladder after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

What's up with this Jacobs ladder?

Browse #Polemonium

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Spreading Jacob's Ladder is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

How to Grow Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

Benefits of Growing Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

Common Spreading Jacob's Ladder Problems →

Outdoor Care Guide for Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

💦 Water Needs

Spreading Jacob's Ladder prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Spreading Jacob's Ladder Water Frequency →

Spreading Jacob's Ladder Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Spreading Jacob's Ladder requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Spreading Jacob's Ladder Light Requirements →

Spreading Jacob's Ladder Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Spreading Jacob's Ladder is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

🪴 Soil

Spreading Jacob's Ladder is very sensitive to dry soil, so choose a potting soil that retains moisture. A good soil will still drain well and contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir or sphagnum moss.

Best Soil Mix for Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

Best Pots for Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

When and How to Successfully Repot Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

What Are Healthy Spreading Jacob's Ladder Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

Spreading Jacob's Ladder should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Spreading Jacob's Ladder grows along the ground and sends out shoots which will spread across the soil.

Spreading Jacob's Ladder Lifecycle →

Spreading Jacob's Ladder Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Spreading Jacob's Ladder can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 3a-8b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Spreading Jacob's Ladder Temperature Tolerance →

Spreading Jacob's Ladder Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

When to Plant Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

How to Plant Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

Where to Plant Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

Winter Care for Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

Best Companion Plants for Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

Is Spreading Jacob's Ladder a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

Spreading Jacob's Ladder can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Spreading Jacob's Ladder →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Spreading Jacob's Ladder, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.