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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Polemonium viscosum (Sticky polemonium)
Cressler, Alan

Polemonium viscosum

Polemonium viscosum Nutt.

Sticky Polemonium, Sky Pilot, Sticky Jacob's-ladder

Polemoniaceae (Phlox Family)

Synonym(s): Polemonium viscosum ssp. genuinum, Polemonium viscosum ssp. lemmonii

USDA Symbol: POVI

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

A leafy plant with stems in clumps has a skunk-like scent from the sticky, glandular hairs that cover leaves and stems; funnel-shaped, blue-violet flowers bloom in loose heads atop stem. Sticky Jacob’s-ladder or Sky Pilot has both grass-like and fern-like leaves, occurring in bright-green, 3-6 in. high tufts. The fern-like leaves are divided into thick segments with whorls of small leaflets. A 4-20 in. flower stalk arises from the leaf tuft and bears a cluster of light blue, or occasionally white, tubular flowers. Attractive stamens with golden-orange anthers project from the throat. Sticky Jacob’s-ladder has both skunky and sweet-smelling flowers.

The name Sky Pilot comes from its preferred high habitat. Elegant Polemonium (P. elegans), in the high Cascade Mountains of Washington and British Columbia, has undivided leaflets.

 

From the Image Gallery

12 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Capsule
Size Notes: Up to about 20 inches tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: White , Blue , Violet
Bloom Time: Apr , May , Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep
Bloom Notes: Pale blue to bluish violet, rarely white.

Distribution

USA: AZ , CO , ID , MT , NM , NV , OR , UT , WA , WY
Canada: AB , BC
Native Distribution: S. B.C. & n.e. WA, s.e. through the mts. to n. AZ & NM
Native Habitat: Alpine meadows; open woods near timberline

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Description: Rocky, well-drained soils.

Propagation

Description: Scratch seeds lightly into soil in late summer or early fall.
Seed Treatment: A stratification of 40 degrees for 2-3 months improves germination.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Web Reference

Webref 65 - Montana Field Guides - Plants (2020) State of Montana
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

From the Archive

Wildflower Newsletter 1989 VOL. 6, NO.4 - Spring Climbs Rockies Slowly, Colorado Cooler, Conference of Wildflower and Nati...

Additional resources

USDA: Find Polemonium viscosum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Polemonium viscosum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Polemonium viscosum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-02-23
Research By: TWC Staff

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