Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) is in the Dogbane Family family (Apocynaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 7,215 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in June.
Nationally it blooms mainly from June to July, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Common Milkweed: observations by month (U.S.)
About Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca, commonly called common milkweed, butterfly flower, silkweed, silky swallow-wort, and Virginia silkweed, is a species of flowering plant. It is in the genus Asclepias, the milkweeds. This species is native to southern Canada and of much of the conterminous eastern U.S., east of the Rocky Mountains, excluding the drier parts of the prairies. It grows in sandy soils and other kinds of soils in sunny areas. It was one of the earliest North American...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Common Milkweed by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 669 | June | Jun–Jul |
| North Carolina | 609 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Virginia | 606 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Vermont | 557 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Pennsylvania | 519 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Massachusetts | 489 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Wisconsin | 369 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Illinois | 357 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Minnesota | 301 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Ohio | 294 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Michigan | 283 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Kentucky | 262 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Maryland | 249 | June | Jun–Jul |
| New Jersey | 213 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Rhode Island | 184 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Indiana | 177 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Maine | 175 | July | Jun–Jul |
| New Hampshire | 144 | July | Jun–Jul |
| West Virginia | 129 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Connecticut | 128 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Iowa | 110 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Nebraska | 93 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Tennessee | 67 | June | Jun–Jul |
| Missouri | 57 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Kansas | 39 | June | Jun–Jun |
| North Dakota | 35 | July | Jun–Aug |
| Delaware | 26 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Georgia | 16 | June | May–Jun |
| Arkansas | 15 | May | May–Jun |
| South Dakota | 13 | June | Jun–Jul |
| District of Columbia | 11 | June | Jun–Jun |
| Oklahoma | 11 | May | May–Jun |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (Dogbane Family)
Butterfly 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 Common Milkweed?
Nationally, June has the most observations, with the main season from June to July.
Where is Common Milkweed most often seen?
The most observations come from New York, North Carolina, Virginia.