Plants

toothache plant

Acmella oleracea

Family: Asteraceae · Genus: Acmella

paracress, Szechuan buttons, electric daisy

Placenta I Ground cover No biomass production

toothache plant — CC BY-SA · Wikimedia Commons

A low-growing annual or short-lived perennial herb of Amazonian origin, with edible leaves and yellow inflorescences that produce a characteristic tingling and numbing sensation in the mouth (attributed to spilanthol). It is a traditional unconventional food plant (PANC) in the cuisine of Pará, a base for dishes such as tacacá and pato no tucupi, and also used in folk medicine.

📚 Synonyms

Scientific synonyms: Spilanthes oleracea L., Spilanthes acmella (L.) Murray, Spilanthes acmella var. oleracea

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Placenta I
Ecological role: Pioneer
Primary stratum: Ground cover
Strata: Ground cover, Low
Biomass class: No biomass production

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: High
Drought tolerance: Low
Waterlogging tolerance: Moderate
Soil pH range: 5.5–6.8
Preferred soil texture: Loamy
Hardiness zones: 10–12
Frost tolerance: 0.0 °C

Morphology

Mature height: 0.2–0.4 m
Recommended spacing: 0.2–0.3 m
Root system: Fibrous
Root depth: Shallow
Growth rate: Very fast
Lifespan: 1–2 years
Time to first harvest: 2 months
Productive lifespan: 1 year

Biomes & climate

Amazon Native

Köppen classes

Tropical rainforest (Af) Suitable
Tropical monsoon (Am) Suitable
Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Toothache plant takes the Ground cover stratum in the Placenta I phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time.

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✂️ Management & Pruning

Cut-and-come-again harvest: cut young leaves and shoots above the base and the plant resprouts repeatedly. Pinch the growing tips to encourage branching and denser foliage, and remove flower buds when leaf is the goal, since the plant tends to age and turn bitter after flowering.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: January, February, March, November, December

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of toothache plant?

The first harvest of toothache plant comes around 2 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for toothache plant?

The recommended spacing for toothache plant is 0.2–0.3 m.

How tall does toothache plant grow?

At maturity, toothache plant reaches 0.2–0.4 m tall.

When does toothache plant flower?

Flowering of toothache plant occurs in January, February, March, November, December.

What stage and stratum does toothache plant occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, toothache plant belongs to the placenta i stage, occupying the ground cover stratum.

Functions

Medicinal 🐝 Attracts pollinators Ground cover

Propagation

Seed, Cutting

Citations

Flora e Funga do Brasil (scientific_name, biomes, family)
Wikipedia (Acmella oleracea) (common_names, description, synonyms, growth_rate, light_need, frost_tolerance_c, external_ids)
Kinupp & Lorenzi, Plantas Alimentícias Não Convencionais (PANC) no Brasil (pruning_notes, lifespan_years_min, lifespan_years_max, productive_lifespan_years)