Toothache Plant
My mother got all the Dentists in the family...yes we have alot..A Toothache Plant! The story is that the plant processes analgesic and numbing effects when used and that people of days gone by used to use it as a numbing agent when having a tooth pulled, or simply when they had a toothache. Hence the name Toothache Plant..I like to try things so I went ahead and stuck one of the odd yellow flowers in my mouth and bit down on it....WOAHHH.. Almost instantaneously I felt a cool numbing spread throughout my mouth..It was like I'd just sprayed Novocaine in my mouth.. It was actually a little weird. But I know now that it truly does work. It wears off after about 3 mins so you'd have to keep applying the flowers in order to get the effect...Neat Idea and it's natural. Here is some information about this rather peculiar looking plant.
Spilanthes Herb Care: How To Grow Spilanthes Toothache Plant
By Amy Grant
Spilanthes toothache plant is a lesser known flowering annual native to the tropics. Known technically as either Spilanthes oleracea or Acmella oleracea, its whimsical common name is garnered from the antiseptic properties of Spilanthes toothache plant.
The toothache plant is also known as the eyeball plant and peek-a-boo plant in reference to its alien looking flowers. Resembling something akin to a daisy at first, upon closer inspection the blooms of Spilanthes toothache plant are shaped like yellow one-inch olives with a shocking deep red center – very much like those of a large mammal.
Toothache plant is a member of the Asteraceae family, which includes asters, daisies and cornflowers, but with a truly unique flower and memorable numbing effect when ingested.
Spilanthes plantings bloom from mid June through September and are wonderful additions to border gardens, as accent plants or container vegetation with their bronze hued foliage and eye-popping blooms. Growing only about 12-15 inches tall and 18 inches across, Spilanthes plantings compliment other plants with yellow and red blooms or even foliage such as coleus varietals.
So, how to grow spilanthes is as simple as sowing in full sun to partial shade 10-12 inches apart. Keep the soil moderately moist as the plant dislikes saturated or boggy ground, so resultant stem rot or general poor growth is likely.
Spilanthes flowers have also been utilized as a urinary antiseptic and even as a treatment for malaria by the indigenous people of the tropics. The active ingredient in Spilanthes is called Spilanthol. Spilanthol is an antiseptic alkaloid found throughout the entire plant but with the greatest amounts located in the flowers.
Spilanthes toothache plant is a lesser known flowering annual native to the tropics. Known technically as either Spilanthes oleracea or Acmella oleracea, its whimsical common name is garnered from the antiseptic properties of Spilanthes toothache plant.
The toothache plant is also known as the eyeball plant and peek-a-boo plant in reference to its alien looking flowers. Resembling something akin to a daisy at first, upon closer inspection the blooms of Spilanthes toothache plant are shaped like yellow one-inch olives with a shocking deep red center – very much like those of a large mammal.
Toothache plant is a member of the Asteraceae family, which includes asters, daisies and cornflowers, but with a truly unique flower and memorable numbing effect when ingested.
Spilanthes plantings bloom from mid June through September and are wonderful additions to border gardens, as accent plants or container vegetation with their bronze hued foliage and eye-popping blooms. Growing only about 12-15 inches tall and 18 inches across, Spilanthes plantings compliment other plants with yellow and red blooms or even foliage such as coleus varietals.
How to Grow Spilanthes
Spilanthes toothache plant is generally propagated via seed and is suitable for cultivation in USDA zones 9-11. Toothache plant is quite easy to grow and is resistant to disease, insects and even our rabbit friends.So, how to grow spilanthes is as simple as sowing in full sun to partial shade 10-12 inches apart. Keep the soil moderately moist as the plant dislikes saturated or boggy ground, so resultant stem rot or general poor growth is likely.
Spilanthes Herb Care
Spilanthes herb care is straightforward as long as over-watering is avoided and spring and summer temperatures are adequate. Spilanthes toothache plant is native to tropical climes, so it does not respond well to cold temperatures and is not tolerant of frost.Uses for Spilanthes Herb
Spilanthes is an herb used in folk medicine throughout India. Of primary medicinal use are the roots and flowers of toothache plant. Chewing on the blooms of the toothache plant causes a local anesthetic effect and has been used to temporarily ease the pain of, yes, you guessed it, toothaches.Spilanthes flowers have also been utilized as a urinary antiseptic and even as a treatment for malaria by the indigenous people of the tropics. The active ingredient in Spilanthes is called Spilanthol. Spilanthol is an antiseptic alkaloid found throughout the entire plant but with the greatest amounts located in the flowers.
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