Although prairie milkweed looks similar to common milkweed, it is less common, preferring undisturbed prairies. It is not as drought tolerant as common milkweed. The leaves are smooth rather than pubescent, with a bright pink central vein. The tiny pink flowers are in looser clusters. Their structure is complex, with 5 reflexed pink sepals and five forward-pointing petals. Each petal has a hood at the base and a little curled horn, giving the flower the appearance of a crown. The fruit is a soft, warty pod that splits open to disperse little brown seeds attached to white silky tufts of hairs that become airborne in the wind. Like common milkweed, it is a favorite of monarch and other butterflies.