Acmella oleracea seed | Toothache Plant, Buzz Buttons

LATIN NAME: Acmella oleracea COMMON NAME: Toothache Plant, Buzz Buttons

Botanical Profile

Toothache plant is native to tropical South America, where it grows as a low, spreading annual with small, cone-shaped flower heads striped in yellow and deep red, resembling tiny lit-up buttons scattered across the foliage. Chewing any part of the plant, particularly the flower heads, produces a distinctive tingling, buzzing numbness in the mouth followed by a burst of saliva, an unmistakable sensory effect caused by a natural compound called spilanthol concentrated in the tissue.

Science & Conservation

Spilanthol, the compound responsible for the plant’s numbing, tingling effect, has been studied for its local anaesthetic and antimicrobial properties, with pharmacological research examining potential applications ranging from natural dental-pain relief to cosmetic formulations aimed at temporarily plumping or tingling the skin. Its long traditional use as a folk toothache remedy across South America and parts of Africa and Asia gave the plant its common name well before modern chemistry identified the specific compound responsible for the effect.

Landscape & Practical Uses

Beyond its traditional use as a folk remedy for toothache, chewed directly to numb the affected area, toothache plant has become a fashionable novelty ingredient in contemporary cooking, marketed as buzz buttons or electric daisies for the striking tingling sensation they add to cocktails and dishes. It also makes a cheerful, low-growing ornamental bedding plant, its bright button-like flowers adding colour through summer.

Growing From Seed

Sow the small seed onto the surface of a loose, well-drained mix without covering it, since light supports germination in this species, and keep conditions warm and consistently moist throughout. This tropical annual grows quickly once established, and container-grown plants can be brought indoors over winter in cooler climates to keep the display of buzzing button flowers going.

Our Take

We find Toothache Plant interesting for growers curious about traditional plant uses, though any medicinal application deserves care and proper guidance rather than casual experimentation. On top of that, it establishes readily from seed, so it is a forgiving choice for a first attempt with the species.

Herb Seeds