Acmella oleracea Seeds | Toothache Plant
LATIN NAME: Acmella oleracea
COMMON NAME: Toothache Plant, Buzz Buttons
Plant Profile
Known to gardeners as Toothache Plant, Acmella oleracea is a noteworthy species. Its flowers draw a steady traffic of bees and other beneficial insects. For the gardener, the sum of these traits is a plant that is easy to live with.
Science & Biotechnology
As part of the Acmella group, Acmella oleracea contributes to research on plant classification and adaptation, while nurseries and gardeners continue to trial it for cultivation. Its long traditional use as a folk toothache remedy across South America and parts of Africa and Asia gave plant its common name well before modern chemistry identified specific compound responsible for the effect. For practical purposes the message is encouraging: generations of cultivation have produced plants of predictable, well-mannered garden character.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Toothache Plant has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. It also makes a cheerful, low-growing ornamental bedding plant, its bright button-like flowers adding colour through summer. Once it has settled, the workload drops to almost nothing.
The toothache plant lives up to its name: chewing the flower heads releases spilanthol, an alkylamide that produces a strong tingling, numbing sensation long used in folk medicine for tooth and gum discomfort. It remains a popular ingredient in traditional oral care across the tropics.
Growing from Seed
Toothache Plant is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Sow small seed onto 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 display of buzzing button flowers going. Sow the seeds evenly over the surface and cover lightly in a loose, well-drained seed compost, keep the sowing evenly moist, and give the pot or tray bright light. When the young plants are big enough to handle, space them into pots or a nursery row and let them size up before their final move.
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.
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