Trending: common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) — 1668 observations this week
iNaturalist Community
Native Plants
Common milkweed blooming in your yard or along a nearby roadside right now is the single most important thing you can offer monarch butterflies, whose caterpillars eat nothing else.
Common milkweed is having a big moment — nearly 1,700 people logged sightings this week alone, which tells us the plant is flowering across a wide stretch of the country right now. This tall, sweet-smelling native wildflower is the only plant monarch butterfly caterpillars can eat, so spotting it in bloom is a sign that monarchs are also on the move. If you see it in a field or along a trail, it's worth leaving it alone — or even planting some at home.
Key Findings
1,668 research-grade observations of common milkweed were submitted to iNaturalist in a single week, placing it among the most observed plant species.
The observation spike corresponds with the plant's peak bloom season in early summer, when milkweed is most visible and fragrant.
High citizen-science engagement with this species reflects growing public awareness of its role as the sole larval host plant for monarch butterflies.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Common milkweed is surging in citizen-science observations this week, with 1,668 research-grade sightings recorded on iNaturalist — signaling that the plant is actively blooming and being spotted across its range.
Abstract Preview
common milkweed is among the most observed plant species this week with 1668 research-grade observations.
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Asclepias syriaca, commonly called common milkweed, butterfly flower, silkweed, silky swallow-wort, and Virginia silkweed, is a species of flowering plant. It is native to southern Canada and much of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, excluding the drier parts of the prairies. It is i...