Summer · month 6 of 12
Milkweed and monarchs in June
Peak growth, first big bloom
69species that can be in flower
40at peak bloom
66of them native
Summerseason
Where the monarchs are
Breeding across the whole northern range. Common milkweed and showy milkweed come into flower and the summer generations build quickly.
What to do this month
- Water new plantings in dry spells. Established plants need nothing.
- Leave the aphids. Ladybird and lacewing larvae arrive within a couple of weeks.
- Do not deadhead. Seed pods are the point.
- Record what you see. Journey North and iNaturalist both take sightings.
What to look for
- Common milkweed in full flower, and the smell of it on warm evenings.
- Monarch caterpillars cutting circular trenches in leaves before feeding.
- Milkweed beetles and large milkweed bugs arriving on the plants.
North and south
June is the peak bloom month across the Midwest and Northeast. In the South, many species are already going dormant in the heat.
In flower in June
69 species can be in flower somewhere in the country this month, 40 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Poke 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 | 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 |
| Purple 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 | 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 |
| Clasping Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not 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 |
| 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 |
| Oval-leaf 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 | 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 |
| California Milkweed | 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 |
| 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 |
| Heartleaf Milkweed | Not in bloom in January | Not in bloom in February | Not in bloom in March | Not 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 |
| Desert Milkweed | 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 | In 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 |
| White 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 | 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 |
| Velvetleaf Milkweed | 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 |
| 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 |
| Woolly Milkweed | 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 |
| Bract Milkweed | 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 | 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 |
| Curtiss’ Milkweed | 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 | In bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Feay’s Milkweed | 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 | In bloom in August | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not in bloom in December |
| Longhood Milkweed | 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 | In bloom in August | Not 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 |
| Carolina 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 | In 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 |
in bloom peak bloom
See the full bloom chart for all 72 species.
June questions
What milkweed blooms in June?
69 milkweed species can be in flower somewhere in the United States during June, with Common Milkweed, Showy Milkweed, Narrowleaf Milkweed, Prairie Milkweed at peak. Bloom times shift several weeks later as you move north.
What are monarch butterflies doing in June?
Breeding across the whole northern range. Common milkweed and showy milkweed come into flower and the summer generations build quickly.
What should I do in the milkweed garden in June?
Water new plantings in dry spells. Established plants need nothing. Leave the aphids. Ladybird and lacewing larvae arrive within a couple of weeks. Do not deadhead. Seed pods are the point.
Cite this page
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APA
Milkweed USA. (2026). Milkweed and monarchs in June. Retrieved DATE, from https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/june/
MLA
"Milkweed and monarchs in June." Milkweed USA, 2026, https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/june/. Accessed DATE.
Chicago
Milkweed USA. "Milkweed and monarchs in June." Last modified 2026-08-01. Accessed DATE. https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/june/.
BibTeX
@misc{milkweedusa_calendarjune,
title = {Milkweed and monarchs in June},
author = {{Milkweed USA}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/june/},
note = {Accessed DATE}
}