Acmella oleracea: Uses (Ethnobotany)
The most common and widespread medicinal use is to treat toothache and throat and gum infections. Also used as an insecticide against the yellow fever mosquito and corn earworm. moth
Plant Profile: Acmella oleracea
Names
Buzz Buttons, Electric Daisy, Eyeball Plant, Paracress, Sichuan Buttons, Toothache Plant
Phonetic Spelling:
Genus:Acmella
Species:oleracea
Family:Asteraceae
Acmella oleracea, commonly referred to as the Toothache Plant, is an annual herbaceous flowering plant indigenous to South America, spanning from Brazil to Argentina. Although its exact native range remains somewhat ambiguous, it is believed to have originated from a Brazilian species of Acmella. This plant is not typically found in wild, uncultivated areas; however, it has been known to escape cultivation and thrive in weedy, moist environments, such as marshes near lakes.
The Toothache Plant thrives in moist, well-drained soils rich in organic matter and requires full or partial sunlight, as it cannot tolerate complete shade. In its natural habitat, it behaves as a perennial, flourishing in regions with an average temperature of 82°F, abundant rainfall, and high humidity levels of around 85%.
Characterized by its vibrant yellow to orange flowers, the Toothache Plant is often cultivated for ornamental purposes. Its colorful blooms attract fireflies during the flowering season. The leaves of this plant impart a distinctive, pungent flavor to salads and soups. While they emit an aroma similar to that of common leafy vegetables, consuming the leaves produces a strong, spicy warmth that spreads across the tongue, followed by a prickling sensation that stimulates the salivary glands. This initial prickling gives way to a sharp, slightly metallic acidity, followed by tingling and eventual numbness. The numbness can last anywhere from two to twenty minutes, depending on the individual and the quantity consumed, while the intense aftertaste may persist for an hour or longer. An extract from the Toothache Plant, often referred to as jambu, is utilized as a flavoring in various foods, chewing gum, and chewing tobacco.
Regarding plant health, there are currently no known diseases or insect-related issues affecting Acmella oleracea.
Acmella oleracea Feature Summary
Acmella oleracea Image Gallery
Tags
#ornamentals
#edible leaves
#herbaceous annual
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Similar Plants
Acmella oleracea Feature Summary
Attributes
The most common and widespread medicinal use is to treat toothache and throat and gum infections. Also used as an insecticide against the yellow fever mosquito and corn earworm. moth
South America
Central America, India
Attracts fireflies, bees, butterflies, and birds.
The leaves can be eaten, raw or cooked, and it adds a pungent flavor to salads. The leaves stimulate the salivary glands while numbing the tongue and lips. A popular ingredient in Amazonian soups.
Annual
Seed
Stem Cutting
Flowers
Many disc florets many, yellow to orange, 1/10 of an inch long. Bloom through the summer and fall.
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Orange
Solitary
Good Cut
Long Bloom Season
Good Dried
Summer
Fall
Dome
< 1 inch
Leaves
Broadly ovate to deltate, 2 to 4 inches long, 2 to 3 inches wide, base truncate or with a short attenuate part, margins dentate, apex acute, usually glabrous.
Green
Brown/Copper
Simple
Opposite
Ovate
Deltoid
Dentate
1-3 inches
Edible
1-3 inches
Stem
Decumbent or erect; stems often reddish, glabrous
Green
Red/Burgundy
Smooth (glabrous)
Straight
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
12 inches-3 feet
9a
9b
10a
10b
11a
11b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Fruit
Achene
Black
Landscape
Acmella oleracea Image Gallery
Acmella oleracea Attributes
Acmella oleracea: Country Or Region Of Origin
South America
Acmella oleracea: Distribution
Central America, India
Acmella oleracea: Wildlife Value
Attracts fireflies, bees, butterflies, and birds.
Acmella oleracea: Edibility
The leaves can be eaten, raw or cooked, and it adds a pungent flavor to salads. The leaves stimulate the salivary glands while numbing the tongue and lips. A popular ingredient in Amazonian soups.
Acmella oleracea: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Acmella oleracea: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Acmella oleracea Flowers
Acmella oleracea: Flower Description
Many disc florets many, yellow to orange, 1/10 of an inch long. Bloom through the summer and fall.
Acmella oleracea: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Orange
Red/Burgundy
Acmella oleracea: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Acmella oleracea: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Acmella oleracea: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Acmella oleracea: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Acmella oleracea: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Acmella oleracea Leaves
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Description
Broadly ovate to deltate, 2 to 4 inches long, 2 to 3 inches wide, base truncate or with a short attenuate part, margins dentate, apex acute, usually glabrous.
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Color
Brown/Copper
Green
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Acmella oleracea: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Acmella oleracea: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Acmella oleracea Stem
Acmella oleracea: Stem Description
Decumbent or erect; stems often reddish, glabrous
Acmella oleracea: Stem Color
Green
Red/Burgundy
Acmella oleracea: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Acmella oleracea: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Acmella oleracea: Stem Form
Straight
Zig Zags
Acmella oleracea Whole Plant Traits
Acmella oleracea: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Acmella oleracea: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Acmella oleracea: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Acmella oleracea: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Acmella oleracea Cultural Conditions
Acmella oleracea: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acmella oleracea: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Acmella oleracea: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Acmella oleracea: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Acmella oleracea: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
11a
11b
9a
9b
Acmella oleracea: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Acmella oleracea Fruit
Acmella oleracea: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Acmella oleracea: Fruit Color
Black
Acmella oleracea Landscape
Acmella oleracea: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Acmella oleracea: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Acmella oleracea: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
