The plant is widespread across most of Canada, the United States (including Alaska but excluding Florida), and northeast Mexico.

Other symptoms include dizziness, colour hallucinations, cold sweats, and excessive urination.

Young milkweed shoots must be distinguished from those of the androsemus leaf beetle because they appear at the same time.

The plant was used as a medicine to treat ailments including headaches, convulsions, ear ache, heart palpitations, colds, insanity, dizziness, rheumatism, scrofula, and syphilis.

[11] Among the Ojibwe, the root was used as a gynecological, oral, and throat aid, as well as an analgesic for headaches and a diuretic during pregnancy.