Growing Spilanthes Made Easy With Expert Garden Advice

I grow Spilanthes where I need quick color, dependable bloom, and a plant that forgives my busy weeks. The quirky cone flowers do the heavy lifting while I sip coffee and plan the next bed.

Growing Spilanthes makes sense for tight spaces and patio pots. It stays compact, flowers hard, and shrugs off heat once established.

The plant sold as toothache plant or buzz buttons is Acmella oleracea, formerly Spilanthes acmella. Annual in most places, tender perennial in frost free zones.

Height lands around 6 to 15 inches 15 to 38 cm with a low, branching habit. It spreads to 12 to 18 inches 30 to 45 cm.

It thrives in full sun with 6 to 8 hours of direct light. Warmth flips the switch from leaves to nonstop buttons.

Target daytime temps of 70 to 90 F 21 to 32 C for steady growth. Night dips under 55 F 13 C slow it down.

Give it a free draining, organically rich mix. I aim for pH 6.0 to 7.2 and add compost to keep moisture even.

In containers I use a peat or coco based potting mix with 20 percent perlite. Clay soils benefit from coarse compost and a touch of grit.

Growing Spilanthes from seed is straightforward with a steady hand and warmth. I sow 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date.

• Germination temp: 70 to 75 F 21 to 24 C.
• Press seeds on the surface or barely cover 1 to 2 mm.
• Keep evenly moist, never soggy, for 7 to 14 days.
• Give bright light the moment green shows to prevent stretch.

Harden off for a week before planting out. Cold shock stalls it for days, so I wait until soil hits 60 F 16 C.

I set plants 12 inches 30 cm apart in a zigzag for faster fill. Mulch lightly to cut splash and keep roots cool.

In 2 to 3 gallon 7.5 to 11 L containers, one plant per pot looks lush. A low bowl planter gives showy, cascading edges.

Keep soil consistently moist the first month. After that I water when the top inch 2.5 cm dries.

Too much nitrogen makes leaves at the expense of buttons. A balanced organic feed at half rate every 3 to 4 weeks keeps it honest.

Pinch once at 4 to 5 true leaves for branching. Then let it run and deadhead every week for fresh flushes.

First blooms arrive 60 to 80 days from sowing in good heat. Shorter in containers that warm faster in spring.

I pick flower buttons right as they turn firm and bright. Morning harvest tastes cleaner and stores longer.

Refrigerate unwashed in a vented box for 3 to 5 days. For drying, hold temps near 95 to 105 F 35 to 40 C to preserve aroma.

Those “Sichuan buttons” light up cocktails, ceviche, and fruit salads. The tingling pairs with citrus, chile, ginger, and cucumber.

A single petal perks a raw oyster. I shave tiny bits into herb butter for grilled corn.

The plant sits in the Asteraceae family, so anyone sensitive to daisies should test cautiously. The tingling is strong and ramps up salivation fast.

Traditional use for tooth discomfort exists, but I treat it as food, not medicine. If pregnant, nursing, or on meds, check with a clinician first.

Seedlings are slug candy. I sprinkle iron phosphate bait and use copper tape on benches.

Aphids show up on soft tips in spring. A quick blast with water and a neem soap rotation clears them.

Damping off only hits crowded flats. I run a fan and bottom water after the first true leaves.

Frost ends the show. In warm zones 10 to 12 it can act perennial, but I refresh annually for vigor.

For seed, bag a few heads to keep them from shattering. Dry fully and store cool and dark for up to 2 years.

1. Peek-A-Boo Acmella oleracea: classic yellow cone with red bullseye, compact habit.
2. Toothache Plant Round: spherical buttons prized by chefs for plating.
3. Electric Daisy: vigorous, longer stems suited for cut flower kits.
4. Yellow Button: uniform golden cones, tidy in window boxes.
5. Red Eye: heavy branching, great for edging paths.

If I want a spicy edible flower with less buzz, I switch to Tropaeolum majus nasturtium. For cocktail garnish with citrus perfume, I reach for lemon gem marigold Tagetes tenuifolia.

I tuck spilanthes beside peppers and basil since they share water and heat needs. Low height lets sun reach slower crops.

It pairs well with marigold for a pollinator lane. I avoid placing it under greedy tomatoes that hog water.

Under lights I run 14 to 16 hour days at 200 to 300 PPFD. Short internodes give more usable tips and a tighter plant.

For market bunches, I harvest whole sprigs 8 to 12 inches 20 to 30 cm long. Pack upright and mist lightly before delivery.

• Seeds: choose fresh stock from reputable vegetable and herb lines, packed for the current year.
• Heat mat: keeps propagation flats at 70 to 75 F 21 to 24 C for even germination.
• LED grow lights: full spectrum bars or panels for stout seedlings at 2 to 4 inches 5 to 10 cm above canopy.
• Potting mix: seed starting blend for germination, then a peat or coco based mix with perlite for up-potting.
• pH meter: inexpensive soil probe or liquid test kit to keep mixes near neutral.
• Organic fertilizer: balanced 4-4-4 or fish hydrolysate for gentle feeding.
• Slug control: iron phosphate bait for beds and copper tape for benches.

• Direct sowing works once soil is warm, but transplants beat weeds by two weeks.
• Windy sites stunt it. A low mesh windbreak on the north side fixes that without shading.
• Foliar feed after heavy rains to replace leached nutrients.
• Skip heavy pruning late summer. Short days slow rebound.

"Leaves and flowers have a mouth numbing, tingling effect," notes Missouri Botanical Garden on Acmella oleracea.

NC State Extension lists toothache plant as an annual herb in most regions with a compact habit suited to edging and containers.

Johnny’s Selected Seeds reports germination in 7 to 14 days at 70 to 75 F 21 to 24 C with shallow sowing and steady moisture.

A pharmacognosy review in Journal of Ethnopharmacology describes spilanthol as the major alkamide concentrated in the flower heads, explaining the pronounced tingle.

• Lots of leaves, few buttons: reduce nitrogen, increase sun hours, and pinch once early.
• Leggy seedlings: lower light distance to 2 to 3 inches 5 to 8 cm and drop temp to 65 F 18 C after germination.
• Yellowing in pots: check pH drift and root binding, then up-pot or flush and feed lightly.
• Bitter taste: harvest younger buttons and avoid water stress in the week before picking.

Growing Spilanthes gives reliable color, flavor, and an easy win in tight seasons. It behaves in beds, performs in pots, and keeps the pollinators curious.

I have tucked it along kitchen paths, between peppers, and in bar garden planters. It plays nice with the crew and earns its keep all summer.

Growing Spilanthes rewards you with more than just its quirky, electric blooms—this plant brings a little wild magic to your patch. Give spilanthes full sun, well-drained soil, and just enough water, and it’ll thrive without coddling. Remember, a light hand with fertilizer keeps flavors strong and flowers bold. Snip young leaves for salads, and let the buds tingle your palate or soothe a sore throat. Treat it as you would other adventurous garden additions, like borage or burdock root: stay curious, observe, and don’t overthink it. That’s how growing spilanthes becomes easy, even a little addictive. For those ready to experiment, spilanthes delivers on flavor, health, and ornament—no fuss, just honest gardening pleasure.