Meet Spilanthes: The Tingling Toothache Plant You Can Grow at Home

We love growing medicinal herbs, and with a name like Toothache Plant, we knew we had to try this one. Also known as spilanthes, paracress, electric daisy, buzz buttons, or Szechuan buttons, this unusual plant is as fun to look at as it is fascinating to harvest. Whether you’re interested in its traditional uses or simply want a unique summer bloomer in your garden, toothache plant is a rewarding addition.

Toothache plant (Acmella oleracea) contains a compound called spilanthol, which is responsible for the strong tingling and numbing sensation the flowers produce when chewed. This same compound is why the plant has traditionally been used to ease mouth pain and relieve dry mouth.

Fortunately for gardeners, toothache plant is easy to grow from seed, especially when you start with high-quality heirloom seeds.

Toothache plant seeds need warmth, light, and moisture to germinate. Wait until the soil is around 70ºF to sow seeds outdoors, or start seeds indoors with a heat mat. You can start seeds indoors 3-4 weeks before planting outdoors. Press seeds into the soil, but don’t bury them as they need light to germinate. 

• Seeds need light to germinate. Gently press into the soil, but don’t cover.

• Keep soil moist and warm for quicker germination. A heat mat and humidity dome can keep soil warm and moist.

• Seeds take 7 to 14 days to germinate.

Once all danger of frost has passed, transplant seedlings outdoors. Toothache plant is a warm-weather plant, so don’t be in a hurry to transplant seedlings. Daily temperatures need to be above 40ºF.

Toothache plant is a fast-growing annual in most climates and a tender perennial in warm regions. Native to South America, it thrives in conditions similar to its natural habitat: warmth, humidity, and consistent moisture. This makes it ideal for growing in our warm, humid summers.

It is not cold-tolerant, but you can bring toothache plant indoors if temperatures are in the 40ºF range.

• Plant spacing: 10 inches

• Plant height: 12–18 inches

• Spread: 12–20 inches

• Days to maturity: 90–120 days

• Growing zones: Can be grown as an annual in all USDA zones

• Ideal temperatures: 65–85°F
  
  

The bright yellow and orange, cone-shaped flowers bloom throughout summer and attract pollinators, including butterflies.

Toothache plant can thrive in full sun to partial shade. Not enough sun will result in fewer blooms. 

The ideal soil for growing toothache plant is well-draining and nutrient-rich. Our garden soil is amended with compost at the beginning of the gardening season. 

When grown in rich, fertile soil, additional fertilizer isn’t necessary. But you can apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer after transplanting. You can also use fertilizer with a higher phosphorus content when the plant starts to bloom. 

Toothache plant naturally produces plenty of branches and flowers, but light pruning can encourage even fuller growth. Pinch back young stems early in the season to promote a bushier plant. Regularly removing spent flowers (deadheading) helps redirect energy into new growth and encourages the plant to continue blooming throughout the summer.

Both the leaves and flowers are edible, though the flowers are most often harvested for their numbing properties.

• Chewing a fresh flower produces a citrusy, tart flavor followed by intense tingling and numbness.
  
  

• Salivation is common
  
  

• Deadhead flowers and pinch back growth to encourage bushier plants
  
  

• Flowers can be dried using a food dehydrator set to a low temperature to help preserve their medicinal compounds.

• Some cultures also use the leaves in cooking.

We’ve enjoyed growing toothache plant for both its eye-catching flowers and its unique properties. It’s an easy, beginner-friendly herb that thrives in summer gardens and adds something truly different to the landscape. Whether you grow it for curiosity, tradition, or pollinators, toothache plant is a memorable plant worth trying.