About Polemonium pulcherrimum Hook.
Polemonium pulcherrimum Hook. is a flowering plant species in the phlox family. It has several common names: beautiful Jacob's-ladder, showy Jacob's-ladder, and skunk-leaved polemonium. This species is native to western North America, ranging from Alaska and Yukon down to Arizona and New Mexico. It grows in many types of mountain habitat, including alpine talus and rock cracks at high elevations, and is a common, widespread wildflower across several regions. It is a perennial herb that grows a clump of multiple erect stems, reaching a maximum height near 30 centimeters. Most of its leaves grow at the base of the plant, with smaller leaves growing along the stems. Each leaf is composed of several pairs of leaflets that can be lance-shaped, oval, or round in shape. The above-ground plant tissue is lightly hairy, densely glandular, and sticky, with a strong odor that resembles that of a skunk. Its showy inflorescence is a dense, elongated or headlike cluster of bell-shaped flowers; each flower is just under one centimeter wide. Flower color ranges from deep blue, bright blue, or pale blue to nearly white, with a yellow throat.
