[1] Factors contributing to its rarity include mowing and plowing, highway expansions, erosion, loss of a natural prairie fire regime, pesticides directly applied or drifting from nearby agricultural operations, invasive plant species, trampling by hikers and off-road vehicles, loss of native insect pollinators, deer herbivory, and predation by a number of insect species, including the non-native oleander aphid.

[4] This is a rhizomatous perennial herb with a waxy erect stem growing up to about 40 centimeters tall.

The species is long-lived, taking at least four years to reach sexual maturity and living for several decades,[6] possibly over a century.

[2] Fragmentation of the habitat reduces the number of nearby plants that can trade pollen and the likelihood of visits from common pollinating insects.

[6] The non-native oleander aphid, Aphis nerii, greatly weakens milkweed plants by removing sugars from stems and leaves.

A species of parasitic wasp has been approved and introduced that feeds specifically on this aphid but it is currently not being sold by any company in North America.

One study's author said that protective cages are necessary for the establishment of transplants in large areas (where fencing is not feasible), due to predation by deer and other animals.

Apparently, this milkweed species is low in the toxic cardenolide chemicals that deter animal herbivory.

Rabbits also have the tendency to clip off the tops of seedlings multiple times in a season (leaving the foliage uneaten), often killing them.