The dried latex was chewed. The roots were used for various diseases of the lungs and thorax and were listed in the U.S. Pharmacopoeia in the late 1800's. It was also medicinal by a number or Native American tribes. Young flower buds have a delicious pea-like flavor, as do the very young seed pods. The flowers are used as a flavoring and a thickener in soups and were also harvested in the early morning when dew was still on them and then boiled down to make sugary syrup.
Milkweed is used to help pass gallstones.
The fibers can be spun with other fibers of different material to make twine. The milky substance is like a latex and can be used as a rough form of rubber. The flowers can be used as a flavoring or as a thickener in soup. The roots can be boiled to make a tea. The tea can be used as a laxative and a diuretic for kidney stones.