Milkweed and monarchs in March
The first generation, and the year turns on it
Where the monarchs are
Monarchs arrive across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and the Gulf states and lay the first eggs of the year. Nearly everything that follows depends on this generation finding milkweed in good condition. The adults that flew from Mexico die here; their children continue north.
What to do this month
- Sow stratified seed indoors, six to eight weeks before your last frost.
- Plant plugs in the South while the soil is still cool and damp.
- Do not tidy the emerging shoots. Milkweed comes up late and looks like nothing for weeks.
- Hold off on any spraying, anywhere, from now until fall.
What to look for
- First monarch eggs on antelope horns and green antelopehorn in Texas.
- Pinewoods milkweed and clasping milkweed flowering in the Southeast.
- Nothing at all in the North. Milkweed is still below ground.
North and south
This is the single most important month in the south-central states. In the northern tier, March is still an indoor month.
In flower in March
9 species can be in flower somewhere in the country this month, 2 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 |
| 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 |
| Pinewoods 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 | Not 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 |
| 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 |
| Pineneedle 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 |
| Prostrate 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 | In bloom in September | Not in bloom in October | Not in bloom in November | Not 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
March questions
What milkweed blooms in March?
9 milkweed species can be in flower somewhere in the United States during March, with Whitestem Milkweed, Giant Milkweed at peak. Bloom times shift several weeks later as you move north.
What are monarch butterflies doing in March?
Monarchs arrive across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and the Gulf states and lay the first eggs of the year. Nearly everything that follows depends on this generation finding milkweed in good condition. The adults that flew from Mexico die here; their children continue north.
What should I do in the milkweed garden in March?
Sow stratified seed indoors, six to eight weeks before your last frost. Plant plugs in the South while the soil is still cool and damp. Do not tidy the emerging shoots. Milkweed comes up late and looks like nothing for weeks.
Cite this page
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Milkweed USA. (2026). Milkweed and monarchs in March. Retrieved DATE, from https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/march/
"Milkweed and monarchs in March." Milkweed USA, 2026, https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/march/. Accessed DATE.
Milkweed USA. "Milkweed and monarchs in March." Last modified 2026-08-01. Accessed DATE. https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/march/.
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title = {Milkweed and monarchs in March},
author = {{Milkweed USA}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://milkweedusa.com/calendar/march/},
note = {Accessed DATE}
}