Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) is in the Dogbane Family family (Apocynaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 10,319 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from May to August, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Butterfly Milkweed: observations by month (U.S.)
About Butterfly Milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa is a species of milkweed native to eastern North America. It is a perennial plant growing to 0.3–1 metre (1 ft 0 in–3 ft 3 in) tall, with clustered orange or yellow flowers from early summer to early autumn. The leaves are spirally arranged, lanceolate, 5–12 cm long, and 2–3 cm broad.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Butterfly Milkweed by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Georgia | 1,667 | June | May–Jul |
| North Carolina | 554 | June | May–Jul |
| Oklahoma | 549 | June | May–Jun |
| New York | 521 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Illinois | 485 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 458 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Kentucky | 445 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Minnesota | 436 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Florida | 435 | May | Apr–Sep |
| Massachusetts | 421 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Texas | 388 | May | May–May |
| Pennsylvania | 360 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Ohio | 343 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Virginia | 255 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Mississippi | 238 | June | May–Jun |
| Alabama | 232 | May | May–Jun |
| Indiana | 227 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Michigan | 226 | July | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey | 222 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Tennessee | 211 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Iowa | 163 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Maryland | 163 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Arkansas | 153 | June | May–Jun |
| Missouri | 144 | June | May–Jun |
| South Carolina | 126 | May | May–Jun |
| Connecticut | 125 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Louisiana | 107 | May | May–Jun |
| Arizona | 105 | June | Jun–Jul |
| West Virginia | 105 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Kansas | 104 | June | May–Jun |
| Rhode Island | 87 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Delaware | 50 | June | Jun–Aug |
| New Mexico | 40 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Utah | 37 | June | May–Jun |
| Vermont | 36 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Nebraska | 25 | June | Jun–Aug |
| Maine | 21 | July | Jul–Jul |
| New Hampshire | 20 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Colorado | 15 | June | Jun–Jul |
| South Dakota | 7 | July | Jun–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 6 | June | Jun–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Dogbane Family)
Common Milkweed
Lesser Periwinkle
Swamp Milkweed
Showy Milkweed
Green Antelopehorns
Narrowleaf Milkweed
Spreading Dogbane
Greater Periwinkle
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Butterfly Milkweed?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from May to August.
Where is Butterfly Milkweed most often seen?
The most observations come from Georgia, North Carolina, Oklahoma.