Leucadendron chamelaea is Critically Endangered (CR). A past population reduction of at least 60% is estimated, based on 55% habitat loss because of agriculture and the local extinction of 52% of subpopulations known through herbarium records. Remaining subpopulations are fragmented and largely confined to road verges and adjacent areas.

Population reduction was previously underestimated (at 55% occupancy) and has been escalating. In 2004, an estimated 33% of remaining subpopulations were cleared as part of road verge maintenance programmes and agricultural pest control, in particular control of “Vaalwurm”. Road verge clearing continues to cause decline, and population reduction is likely to exceed 80% within the next 20 years (generation length 20 years). A few other subpopulations remain on small isolated pockets between agricultural fields, where they are also declining as a result of a lack of fire, expanding agriculture, in particular the cultivation of fruit orchards, vineyards, potato and cash crops, wetland drainage, alien plant invasion,  browsing and overgrazing. Unless the practice of clearing road reserves ceases soon, this species will be confined to a very few remnant patches. Only a single isolated subpopulation of less than 100 plants in the Groot Winterhoek is currently conserved.

This species is also an indicator of special habitat, and wherever there are populations of this species, the CREW team has found numerous other threatened plants at these sites.