#acmella

Jill Raggett

Buzz buttons! (Acmella oleracea) The leaves and flowers of this plant are edible and make your mouth salivate and feel tingly and numb. Other names for the plant include Toothache plant and Szechuan Button. They're used as a folk remedy and as a fun garnish.

Botanists, plant lovers, and people from tropical places: I would love to know your thoughts on this Spilanthes species. We are growing three types of Spilanthes including two fairly common ones (“Lemon Drop” and “Peek-a-Boo” or “Bullseye”), which are the final two images, and which are both Acmella oleracea, also known as the toothache plant, paracress, and buzz buttons, and likely originating from Brazil. This third type in these first two photos was shared with me by my friend Naw Doh, who got it from other Burmese folks in the US, and whose community loves to grow this kind for the edible greens (I know from experience that they taste great sautéed and served over coconut chicken curry!) I’ve been digging and digging and I have questions! There is a genus called Spilanthes and a genus called Acmella. Are they the same or different? I’ve read conflicting opinions on that. The big question: what species is this? I’ve read the genus Spilanthes may have as many as 343 different species. From initial and extensive searches, my guesses are: Acmella uliginosa, Spilanthes mauritiana, or Acmella calirrhiza (aka Kenyan Spilanthes). But really I don’t know. Please help! Finally, I’d love to know more traditional uses, names, and recipes for this plant. For now, we will keep the seeds and cuttings, and enjoy the delicious leaves, which are less zingy than the more common Spilanthes, which we mostly use for medicine (for teeth and gum issues, etc) #seedkeeping #spilanthes #toothacheplant #acmella #plantidentification (at Newtown Square, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCRajniAy9-/?igshid=1wsift7vsudmh

- The buzz buttons (Acemella oleracea) are also flowering! The leaves and flowers of this plant are edible and make your mouth salivate and feel tingly and numb. Other names for the plant include Toothache plant and Szechuan Button.

If you chew on these plants they make your mouth feel buzzy and salavate uncontrollably for a bit! People chew on the flowers for toothache relief. Another name for them is electric daisy.

Jill Raggett

Botanists, plant lovers, and people from tropical places: I would love to know your thoughts on this Spilanthes species. We are growing three types of Spilanthes including two fairly common ones (“Lemon Drop” and “Peek-a-Boo” or “Bullseye”), which are the final two images, and which are both Acmella oleracea, also known as the toothache plant, paracress, and buzz buttons, and likely originating from Brazil. This third type in these first two photos was shared with me by my friend Naw Doh, who got it from other Burmese folks in the US, and whose community loves to grow this kind for the edible greens (I know from experience that they taste great sautéed and served over coconut chicken curry!) I’ve been digging and digging and I have questions! There is a genus called Spilanthes and a genus called Acmella. Are they the same or different? I’ve read conflicting opinions on that. The big question: what species is this? I’ve read the genus Spilanthes may have as many as 343 different species. From initial and extensive searches, my guesses are: Acmella uliginosa, Spilanthes mauritiana, or Acmella calirrhiza (aka Kenyan Spilanthes). But really I don’t know. Please help! Finally, I’d love to know more traditional uses, names, and recipes for this plant. For now, we will keep the seeds and cuttings, and enjoy the delicious leaves, which are less zingy than the more common Spilanthes, which we mostly use for medicine (for teeth and gum issues, etc) #seedkeeping #spilanthes #toothacheplant #acmella #plantidentification (at Newtown Square, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCRaNjtgB72/?igshid=1e0j96ku2ktwn