Butterfly milkweed
Asclepias tuberosa L.
Butterfly milkweed in all of Ohio- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Phylum
- Tracheophyta
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Order
- Gentianales
- Family
- Apocynaceae
- Genus
- Asclepias
Range
Where it is recorded
Season shown in 12 of Ohio's 88 counties. Explore Ohio
- No result yet (9)
- Recorded, too few records for a result (59)
- Recorded, season not shown (8)
- Season shown (12)
Counties as a table
| County | Records |
|---|---|
| Adams County | 39 · Recorded, season not shown |
| Allen County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Ashland County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Ashtabula County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Athens County | 37 · Season shown |
| Auglaize County | No qualifying records yet |
| Belmont County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Brown County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Butler County | 35 · Season shown |
| Carroll County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Champaign County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Clark County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Clermont County | 61 · Season shown |
| Clinton County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Columbiana County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Coshocton County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Crawford County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Cuyahoga County | 113 · Recorded, season not shown |
| Darke County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Defiance County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Delaware County | 30 · Recorded, season not shown |
| Erie County | 20 · Season shown |
| Fairfield County | 24 · Recorded, season not shown |
| Fayette County | No qualifying records yet |
| Franklin County | 145 · Season shown |
| Fulton County | No qualifying records yet |
| Gallia County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Geauga County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Greene County | 31 · Season shown |
| Guernsey County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Hamilton County | 170 · Season shown |
| Hancock County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Hardin County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Harrison County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Henry County | No qualifying records yet |
| Highland County | No qualifying records yet |
| Hocking County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Holmes County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Huron County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Jackson County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Jefferson County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Knox County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Lake County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Lawrence County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Licking County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Logan County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Lorain County | 28 · Recorded, season not shown |
| Lucas County | 98 · Season shown |
| Madison County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Mahoning County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Marion County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Medina County | 24 · Recorded, season not shown |
| Meigs County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Mercer County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Miami County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Monroe County | No qualifying records yet |
| Montgomery County | 44 · Season shown |
| Morgan County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Morrow County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Muskingum County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Noble County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Ottawa County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Paulding County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Perry County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Pickaway County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Pike County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Portage County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Preble County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Putnam County | No qualifying records yet |
| Richland County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Ross County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Sandusky County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Scioto County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Seneca County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Shelby County | No qualifying records yet |
| Stark County | 34 · Recorded, season not shown |
| Summit County | 66 · Season shown |
| Trumbull County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Tuscarawas County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Union County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Van Wert County | No qualifying records yet |
| Vinton County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Warren County | 22 · Season shown |
| Washington County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Wayne County | 20 · Recorded, season not shown |
| Williams County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
| Wood County | 63 · Season shown |
| Wyandot County | Recorded, too few records for a result |
No mapped range from the range source used, the USGS Gap Analysis Project, which maps land vertebrates only.
Season
When it is recorded
In Franklin County
Early June to late August, middle week Jul 5–11
Records per week from 145 records in 8 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.
Recorded on 115 dates. Latest record: September 2025.
Show as a table
| Week | Records of butterfly milkweed | Years recorded | Records of all species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4–10 | 0 | 0 | 417 |
| Jan 11–17 | 0 | 0 | 236 |
| Jan 18–24 | 0 | 0 | 236 |
| Jan 25–31 | 0 | 0 | 236 |
| Feb 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 244 |
| Feb 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 360 |
| Feb 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 270 |
| Feb 22–28 | 0 | 0 | 401 |
| Mar 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 483 |
| Mar 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 567 |
| Mar 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 561 |
| Mar 22–28 | 0 | 0 | 750 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | 0 | 0 | 1,310 |
| Apr 5–11 | 0 | 0 | 1,456 |
| Apr 12–18 | 0 | 0 | 2,408 |
| Apr 19–25 | 0 | 0 | 2,525 |
| Apr 26 – May 2 | 0 | 0 | 2,812 |
| May 3–9 | 0 | 0 | 2,785 |
| May 10–16 | 0 | 0 | 2,381 |
| May 17–23 | 1 | 1 | 2,651 |
| May 24–30 | 0 | 0 | 2,735 |
| May 31 – Jun 6 | 3 | 2 | 2,861 |
| Jun 7–13 | 11 | 6 | 2,986 |
| Jun 14–20 | 17 | 6 | 2,980 |
| Jun 21–27 | 18 | 6 | 3,051 |
| Jun 28 – Jul 4 | 15 | 6 | 3,121 |
| Jul 5–11 | 16 | 6 | 3,399 |
| Jul 12–18 | 14 | 6 | 3,754 |
| Jul 19–25 | 6 | 4 | 3,305 |
| Jul 26 – Aug 1 | 10 | 4 | 3,347 |
| Aug 2–8 | 6 | 3 | 3,803 |
| Aug 9–15 | 10 | 4 | 3,507 |
| Aug 16–22 | 8 | 3 | 3,137 |
| Aug 23–29 | 1 | 1 | 3,249 |
| Aug 30 – Sep 5 | 3 | 3 | 3,487 |
| Sep 6–12 | 2 | 2 | 3,215 |
| Sep 13–19 | 3 | 3 | 3,368 |
| Sep 20–26 | 1 | 1 | 2,586 |
| Sep 27 – Oct 3 | 0 | 0 | 3,624 |
| Oct 4–10 | 0 | 0 | 2,701 |
| Oct 11–17 | 0 | 0 | 2,107 |
| Oct 18–24 | 0 | 0 | 1,201 |
| Oct 25–31 | 0 | 0 | 1,123 |
| Nov 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 789 |
| Nov 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 798 |
| Nov 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 468 |
| Nov 22–28 | 0 | 0 | 522 |
| Nov 29 – Dec 5 | 0 | 0 | 225 |
| Dec 6–12 | 0 | 0 | 234 |
| Dec 13–19 | 0 | 0 | 392 |
| Dec 20–26 | 0 | 0 | 254 |
| Dec 27 – Jan 2 | 0 | 0 | 422 |
Reported in flower
Only 10 records here show flowers, too few to show a flowering season. One needs at least 20 records from 5 different years.
Reported in fruit
Only 2 records here show fruit, too few to show a fruiting season. One needs at least 20 records from 5 different years.
In Ohio
Early June to mid-September, middle week Jul 5–11
Records per week from 1,770 records in 10 of the 10 years from 2016 to 2025. Shows when people recorded it, not how common it is. The grey bars show how many records of all species were made here each week, so you can see when recording itself was high or low; the season is not adjusted by them.
Recorded on 672 dates. Latest record: October 2025.
Show as a table
| Week | Records of butterfly milkweed | Years recorded | Records of all species |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 4–10 | 0 | 0 | 6,211 |
| Jan 11–17 | 0 | 0 | 5,146 |
| Jan 18–24 | 1 | 1 | 4,645 |
| Jan 25–31 | 0 | 0 | 4,698 |
| Feb 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 6,023 |
| Feb 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 5,888 |
| Feb 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 5,436 |
| Feb 22–28 | 0 | 0 | 6,846 |
| Mar 1–7 | 0 | 0 | 8,321 |
| Mar 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 10,384 |
| Mar 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 12,620 |
| Mar 22–28 | 0 | 0 | 13,949 |
| Mar 29 – Apr 4 | 0 | 0 | 19,661 |
| Apr 5–11 | 0 | 0 | 26,860 |
| Apr 12–18 | 0 | 0 | 39,925 |
| Apr 19–25 | 0 | 0 | 41,623 |
| Apr 26 – May 2 | 2 | 1 | 56,391 |
| May 3–9 | 1 | 1 | 52,952 |
| May 10–16 | 4 | 2 | 53,785 |
| May 17–23 | 7 | 4 | 57,698 |
| May 24–30 | 6 | 4 | 54,651 |
| May 31 – Jun 6 | 31 | 8 | 53,099 |
| Jun 7–13 | 64 | 9 | 53,700 |
| Jun 14–20 | 121 | 9 | 56,625 |
| Jun 21–27 | 207 | 10 | 55,361 |
| Jun 28 – Jul 4 | 264 | 10 | 58,477 |
| Jul 5–11 | 203 | 10 | 61,336 |
| Jul 12–18 | 191 | 9 | 64,722 |
| Jul 19–25 | 121 | 10 | 69,753 |
| Jul 26 – Aug 1 | 95 | 9 | 59,416 |
| Aug 2–8 | 93 | 9 | 59,712 |
| Aug 9–15 | 71 | 8 | 55,994 |
| Aug 16–22 | 57 | 8 | 54,328 |
| Aug 23–29 | 44 | 9 | 51,772 |
| Aug 30 – Sep 5 | 43 | 8 | 57,167 |
| Sep 6–12 | 41 | 7 | 59,075 |
| Sep 13–19 | 30 | 7 | 54,543 |
| Sep 20–26 | 21 | 9 | 45,860 |
| Sep 27 – Oct 3 | 25 | 7 | 43,180 |
| Oct 4–10 | 16 | 4 | 37,841 |
| Oct 11–17 | 4 | 3 | 30,824 |
| Oct 18–24 | 3 | 3 | 21,156 |
| Oct 25–31 | 1 | 1 | 19,021 |
| Nov 1–7 | 2 | 1 | 14,172 |
| Nov 8–14 | 0 | 0 | 12,621 |
| Nov 15–21 | 0 | 0 | 7,965 |
| Nov 22–28 | 0 | 0 | 8,136 |
| Nov 29 – Dec 5 | 0 | 0 | 6,083 |
| Dec 6–12 | 1 | 1 | 6,004 |
| Dec 13–19 | 0 | 0 | 5,423 |
| Dec 20–26 | 0 | 0 | 5,661 |
| Dec 27 – Jan 2 | 0 | 0 | 8,459 |
Reported in flower
Usually reported in flower mid-June to early September, middle week Jul 5–11.
From 173 records that show flowers. Not every photo of a plant in flower is marked as flowering, so this shows when people reported it in flower, not when it flowers.
Reported in fruit
No fruiting season shown here. Most records come from a single year, so a season is not shown yet.
What these results show
These results show when people recorded a species, not when or where it occurs. Missing weeks and low counts do not mean absence or scarcity, and counts are not abundance. Contributed records reflect where, when and what people chose to observe.
Relatives
In the same genus
Other Asclepias recorded in Franklin County
Identification
How to identify it
Often confused with
- swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata162 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- common milkweed Asclepias syriaca90 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- tall green milkweed Asclepias hirtella14 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- green comet milkweed Asclepias viridiflora14 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
- hemp dogbane Apocynum cannabinum13 identifications worldwide named one where the other was meant
From iNaturalist’s similar-species counts, refreshed monthly: confusions in Ohio first, then worldwide. Only species with an Ohio result are listed.
Months not reported
- Jan: recorded
- Feb: no record
- Mar: no record
- Apr: recorded
- May: recorded
- Jun: recorded
- Jul: recorded
- Aug: recorded
- Sep: recorded
- Oct: recorded
- Nov: recorded
- Dec: recorded
Not reported in Ohio in February to March, 2016 to 2025.
Land cover where it is recorded
| Land cover | Its recordsAll Ohio records |
|---|---|
| Developed | 57%49% |
| Farmland | 23%11% |
| Forest | 15%31% |
| Grassland and shrub | 3%0.9% |
| Wetland | 1%5% |
| Barren | 0.7%0.6% |
| Open water | 0.3%3% |
From 1,164 records placed within 100 m, beside all Ohio records placed the same way. People record where they go, so this shows where records come from, not where the species lives. Land cover: USGS Annual NLCD, 2025 (opens in a new tab)
Finer identifications
Some Ohio records of this species were identified to a subspecies:
- Asclepias tuberosa subsp. tuberosaeastern butterfly milkweedsubspecies
Every one of these records counts toward butterfly milkweed's season above.
Why some records go further than species
Many plants vary from place to place. Botanists name these groups at three levels below species: subspecies, variety and form, from the broadest difference to the smallest. Observers and experts only identify a record that far when it shows enough detail to tell them apart. Records without that detail count at the species level.
Names: Catalogue of Life.
Sources
Where these results come from
- Records from iNaturalist research-grade observations and expert-identified GBIF datasets, CC0, CC BY and CC BY-NC. Sources
- Seasons use the published method and its evidence thresholds. Methods
- See it on iNaturalist (opens in a new tab)OpenPhenology is independent and not affiliated with iNaturalist.
Records behind the Franklin County result
145 records from 1 dataset.
- iNaturalist Research-grade Observations (opens in a new tab) · iNaturalist.org · 145 recordsiNaturalist contributors, iNaturalist (2026). iNaturalist Research-grade Observations. iNaturalist.org. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/ab3s5x accessed via GBIF.org on 2026-11-13.
To cite: the GBIF download doi:10.15468/dl.y2jkt8 (opens in a new tab).
A spreadsheet (CSV) with a link to each record, on iNaturalist or GBIF. Records whose location was hidden by the observer or the source are counted but not linked.