OMG. I'm so glad to hear your story. The exact same thing is happening to mine! I planted mine this Spring and now it looks like it's just shriveling up. It's been really hot so I've increased the watering to twice each day in hopes of revival.

I lost 2 over 2 separate summers & just gave up on the variegated. There's supposed to be a newer variety I read about in Jane Pepper's column in the Phila. Inquirer last spring that is supposed to be heat-hardier, if that's a word! If I dig it out, I'll post its name.

I bought one maybe 2 years ago that was dead within a week after planting. I bought another this year and it is simply beautiful! "Stairway to Heaven" is its name.

I had the same thing happen to me and thought it might be my gardening skills, which I am still working on. I bought 2 this spring and they were doing reasonably well... until about 2 weeks ago. Both died. It was the varigated variety. I am keen to try them again in a new location this fall... but not sure if it is worth the bother.

I've tried the blue, and also pauciflorum - they don't like heat and I don't think they like heavy soil either.

This plant has always died after flowering for me.

Hi guys- Eventhough last year my varigated Jacob's Ladders died at around this time of year, my mother planted two this spring and after they flowered they wilted to nothing and died. I think other people are right....they cannot take the heat and dislike heavy soil. We are completely giving up on them :)

I planted a Stairway to Heaven last year right next to a huge tree root that is in my garden. In the summer it faded in the heat and disappeared but reappeared this spring in all it's glory. It's is a spring plant and could even be a spring ephemeral. This is the 2nd plant I planted. The 1st didn't come back but it was in a different spot. Many plants dislike the high heat of summer and this plant prefers a lightly shaded spots.

Our variegated JL is still going strong. It's under several redbud trees along with other assorted shade loving plants in the most shaded and least sun exposure part of the yard. I'll keep an eye on it though since so many have had problems.