Milkweed and monarchs in February
The first movement north
Where the monarchs are
Late in the month the Mexican colonies begin to break up and the first monarchs move north toward Texas. On the California coast the groves start to disperse and monarchs move inland into the Central Valley. These are old butterflies, six months into their lives, and they are racing to find milkweed before they run out.
What to do this month
- Keep stratifying. Thirty days in the fridge started now gets you sowing in March.
- Last month to cut back tropical milkweed in zones 9 to 11 before spring breeding starts.
- Cut last year’s dead stems in the south, leaving four to six inches standing for stem-nesting bees.
- Sow seed outdoors in the Deep South and the desert Southwest.
What to look for
- Antelope horns and green antelopehorn breaking ground in Texas.
- Pinewoods milkweed in flower on Florida sandhills.
- First monarchs crossing the Rio Grande in the last week.
North and south
Everything above happens six to ten weeks later north of about 40 degrees. In the north, February is a fridge-and-catalog month.
In flower in February
4 species can be in flower somewhere in the country this month, 1 of them at peak. Natives are listed first.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitestem Milkweed | In bloom in January | Peak bloom in February | Peak bloom in March | Peak bloom in April | In bloom in May | Not in bloom in June | Not in bloom in July | Not in bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | In bloom in November | In bloom in December |
| Rush Milkweed | In bloom in January | In bloom in February | In bloom in March | Peak bloom in April | Peak bloom in May | In bloom in June | In bloom in July | In bloom in August | Peak bloom in September | Peak bloom in October | In bloom in November | In bloom in December |
| Giant Milkweed introduced | In bloom in January | In bloom in February | Peak bloom in March | Peak bloom in April | In bloom in May | In bloom in June | In bloom in July | In bloom in August | In bloom in September | Peak bloom in October | In bloom in November | In bloom in December |
| Tropical Milkweed introduced | In bloom in January | In bloom in February | In bloom in March | In bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | Peak bloom in September | In bloom in October | In bloom in November | In bloom in December |
in bloom peak bloom
February questions
What milkweed blooms in February?
4 milkweed species can be in flower somewhere in the United States during February, with Whitestem Milkweed at peak. Bloom times shift several weeks later as you move north.
What are monarch butterflies doing in February?
Late in the month the Mexican colonies begin to break up and the first monarchs move north toward Texas. On the California coast the groves start to disperse and monarchs move inland into the Central Valley. These are old butterflies, six months into their lives, and they are racing to find milkweed
What should I do in the milkweed garden in February?
Keep stratifying. Thirty days in the fridge started now gets you sowing in March. Last month to cut back tropical milkweed in zones 9 to 11 before spring breeding starts. Cut last year’s dead stems in the south, leaving four to six inches standing for stem-nesting bees.
Cite this page
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Milkweed USA. (2026). Milkweed and monarchs in February. Retrieved DATE, from https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/february/
"Milkweed and monarchs in February." Milkweed USA, 2026, https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/february/. Accessed DATE.
Milkweed USA. "Milkweed and monarchs in February." Last modified 2026-08-01. Accessed DATE. https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/february/.
@misc{milkweedusa_calendarfebruary,
title = {Milkweed and monarchs in February},
author = {{Milkweed USA}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/february/},
note = {Accessed DATE}
}