Summer · month 7 of 12
Milkweed and monarchs in July
The heart of the breeding season
61species that can be in flower
29at peak bloom
58of them native
Summerseason
Where the monarchs are
Peak breeding in the northern states. Swamp milkweed comes into flower as common milkweed goes over, which matters because it stays soft and edible when the big species have gone tough.
What to do this month
- Leave everything alone. This is the month to do nothing and watch.
- Water containerised milkweed properly. Pots dry out far faster than beds.
- Note which plants are being used. That tells you what to plant more of.
- If you must mow a meadow, mow it in sections weeks apart, never all at once.
What to look for
- Swamp milkweed in flower along ditches and pond edges.
- Caterpillars at all five instars on the same plant.
- Green chrysalises hanging under leaves, fences and gutters, often well away from the milkweed.
North and south
In the desert Southwest, the summer monsoon triggers a second flush of growth and flowering that has no equivalent further east.
In flower in July
61 species can be in flower somewhere in the country this month, 29 of them at peak. Natives are listed first.
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Showy Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Swamp Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Narrowleaf Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Prairie Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Not in bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Butterfly Weed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Whorled Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Broadleaf Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Hall’s Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Sand Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Aquatic Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Woollypod Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Poison Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Green Comet Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Plains Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Engelmann’s Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Slimleaf Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Pineland Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Fewflower Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Red Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Not in bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Tall Green Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Texas Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Rusby’s Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Mahogany Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Nodding Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | Not in bloom in May | In bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | Peak bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Largeflower Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Southern Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not in bloom in April | In bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | Peak bloom in July | In bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Antelope Horns | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | In bloom in March | Peak bloom in April | Peak bloom in May | In bloom in June | In bloom in July | Not in bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Green Antelopehorn | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | In bloom in April | Peak bloom in May | Peak bloom in June | In bloom in July | Not in bloom in August | Not in bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Zizotes Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not 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 | In bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
in bloom peak bloom
See the full bloom chart for all 72 species.
July questions
What milkweed blooms in July?
61 milkweed species can be in flower somewhere in the United States during July, with Common Milkweed, Showy Milkweed, Swamp Milkweed, Narrowleaf Milkweed at peak. Bloom times shift several weeks later as you move north.
What are monarch butterflies doing in July?
Peak breeding in the northern states. Swamp milkweed comes into flower as common milkweed goes over, which matters because it stays soft and edible when the big species have gone tough.
What should I do in the milkweed garden in July?
Leave everything alone. This is the month to do nothing and watch. Water containerised milkweed properly. Pots dry out far faster than beds. Note which plants are being used. That tells you what to plant more of.
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APA
Milkweed USA. (2026). Milkweed and monarchs in July. Retrieved DATE, from https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/july/
MLA
"Milkweed and monarchs in July." Milkweed USA, 2026, https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/july/. Accessed DATE.
Chicago
Milkweed USA. "Milkweed and monarchs in July." Last modified 2026-08-01. Accessed DATE. https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/july/.
BibTeX
@misc{milkweedusa_calendarjuly,
title = {Milkweed and monarchs in July},
author = {{Milkweed USA}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/july/},
note = {Accessed DATE}
}