Toothache plant is a perennial flowering herb in the aster family (Asteraceae) native to South America from Brazil to Argentina. While its native distribution is not clear, it is thought to be derived from a Brazillian Acmella species. It has been known to escape from cultivation and grow in wet localities such as lakeside marshes. The specific epithet is Latin for vegetable/herb. The plant will grow 1-1.5 feet tall and wide and prefers moist, well-drained, organically rich soils and full or partial sun. In its native environment, it grows as a perennial in regions with an average temperature of 82 degrees F., heavy rainfall, and a relative humidity of 85%. The toothache plant has yellow to orange flowers that attract fireflies. The leaves add a pungent flavor to salads and soups and are high in vitamins and minerals. The flowers can be eaten sparingly and cause tingling and increased salivation followed by numbness. An extract, sometimes called jambu, is used as a flavoring agent in foods, chewing gum, and chewing tobacco. The plant is rarely used ornamentally and is primarily grown for culinary and numbing properties. It is being studied for other medicinal uses. Diseases, Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 6 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Spreading
Leaf color
Brown/Copper; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Deltoid; Ovate
Leaf margin
Dentate
Leaf value
Edible
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
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.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Good Cut; Good Dried; Long Bloom Season
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Dome
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Many disc florets many, yellow to orange, 1/10 of an inch long. Bloom through the summer and fall.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit color
Black
Fruit type
Achene
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Decumbent or erect; stems often reddish, glabrous
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
South America
Distribution
Central America, India
Wildlife value
Attracts fireflies, bees, butterflies, and birds.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies; Songbirds
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Flowers
Fruit type
Achene
Edibility
The leaves can be eaten, raw or cooked, and it adds a pungent flavor to salads. Flowers are also edible in small quantities for the numbing property
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