Toothache plant is one of the most unique plants that I have ever grown. This beautiful plant can be grown either as an ornamental or medicinal plant. You won't believe what these petal-less plants can do to your mouth. Here is how you can grow your own buzz buttons.
| Botanical name | Spilanthes oleracea (AKA szechuan buttons, electric daisy, or electric buttons) |
| Plant type | Medicinal flower |
| Sun exposure | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil conditions | Dryer and poorer than usual is suitable |
| Bloom and harvest time | Summer as an annual or all seasons indoors (depending on your zone) |
| Difficulty | Easy, Medium, Hard, Extreme |
Buzz buttons are a tropical perennial that is native to tropical regions of South America. This means you can grow these plants as an outdoor perennial if you live in zone 10 or warmer. You can find your USDA hardiness zone here.
It is still possible to grow these as annuals if you live in a cooler climate. I have successfully grown these plants in my zone 5 garden.
When to plant buzz buttons
Buzz buttons can be directly sown in the garden or you can start them earlier indoors for transplanting. I have better success by starting these plants indoors. If you are planning to start them indoors, start them 4-6 weeks before your last frost date.
You can also buy electric daisies from a local nursery, but they can be hard to find. Be mindful that frost will kill buzz button plants so make sure you plant them outdoors after all danger of frost has passed.
Toothache plant varieties
There are two basic buzz button plant varieties the all yellow one that I am growing and the bullseye variety. The bullseye variety is very similar with the only difference being the brown center of the flower that makes it look like a bullseye.
Because of the appearance of the bullseye varieties flower heads it is sometimes referred to as the eyeball plant.
How to start buzz button seeds
Buzz button seeds need to be surface sown. This simply means that you do not cover the seeds with soil when planting. For this reason I find it much easier to start spilanthes seeds indoors.
I soak the soil before I sow the seeds then I sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil. Every other day I mist the seeds with water. They can take from a few days to a few weeks to germinate. Patience is key.
Where to plant buzz buttons
Buzz buttons do not enjoy soggy feet. On my property it can be a challenge to find soil that is drier, but I have come up with a solution.
I plant my buzz buttons in my lasagna garden. I have found that by using layers of mulched organic matter I can keep the soil from getting water logged. You will also want to find a sunny part of the garden as buzz buttons are tropical plants that enjoy lots of full sun.
How to plant buzz buttons
Buzz buttons are frost sensitive so you should not plant them outside till late spring. You can find your average last frost date here.
Once your plants are ready for transplanting, and you have found the right spot, it is time to plant them! Carefully pull the plant out of the pot and transplant into a hole.
Plant it no deeper than the plant in the pot was. Water well and keep well watered but not waterlogged. Mulching around the plant is always a good idea as this will keep the weeds from germinating.
How to encourage flowering
Buzz buttons can be extremely slow to start flowering. It can seem all they want to do is grow leaves. To encourage flowering make sure that they are planted in full sunlight.
You can also pinch the tips of the plant to encourage more flowers and bushiness. If you still can not get your plants to flower, stop fertilizing the soil. This can stress the plant into flowering.
Once your buzz button flowers your plants should be covered in yellow flowers. You can pick the fresh flowers to encourage more spilanthes flowers to grow. Always pull off any spent flowers to encourage more fresh flower heads to grow.
Should buzz buttons be fertilized
It is alright to fertilize your buzz buttons but they do not require much fertilizer compared to other plants. Over fertilizing can keep the plants from flowering.
I like to use organic fish emulsions on my plants when needed. You can read more about organic fertilizers here.
How to harvest buzz buttons
Finally you have buzz buttons flower, but when should you harvest the flowers. If you leave the flowers on too long they will go to seed and are no longer good for consumption.
A good rule of thumb is to harvest the flowers when they are the most vibrant in color. This is usually less than a week or two after flowers appear. When ready simple cut the flower off leaving on as much stem as you like.
After you harvest the flowers you can either dry them or place them in a vase filled with water. If you are going to use these for culinary purposes I recommend you dehydrate them right after harvesting.
Do buzz buttons have any pests
No insect has ever attempted to eat my buzz buttons. My guess is they do not enjoy the flavor and tingling sensation of the buzz buttons.
What to use buzz buttons for
Buzz buttons are also called the toothache plant and that is for good reason. The flowers cause a tingling sensation in the mouth that turns to a numbing effect.
Spilanthes flowers were once used to alleviate the pain from mild toothaches. The flowers are edible fresh or dried so you can eat them straight from the garden for a sensory experience or dry them for later use when you get a toothache.
This plant has been claimed to help alleviate dry mouth and numb sore throats. Before you try any herbal remedy make sure to research it.
(Disclaimer: I am not a physician and cannot offer advice on health care. Please consult with your health care professional before using this plant or any of its parts.)
It has even been said that you can boil the flowers in water and spray the solution on your plants to create a pesticide.
If you don't care for the tingling sensation that is caused by consuming these flowers you grow them for their beauty. Buzz buttons last a very long time in a vase of water.
Culinary uses for buzz buttons
Buzz button flowers have many culinary uses and are often used in high end restaurants.
- Salads: You can garnish salads with pieces of the flower or simply place the whole flower on top. This would be a great experience if you had guests over!
- Desserts: If you have a dessert that is citrus based placing buzz button flowers on top would make a great looking garnish.
- Sorbets: Topping a lemon sorbet with buzz buttons would make the perfect surprise!
Are buzz buttons safe to consume
I have eaten buzz buttons and have not had any adverse effects. It is said that buzz buttons are completely harmless.
If you have an allergy to ragweed or plants in the daisy family you should not eat buzz buttons as they could have an allergic effect.
What happens when you eat a buzz button
Here is what my experience of eating buzz buttons is like.
- After chewing on the flower head my taste buds and mouth tingle
- Then my salivary glands kick into high gear (now I know why it has been claimed that these flowers can help with dry mouth)
- Finally there is a numbness that comes over the entire mouth (giving a short term local anesthetic effect)
- With the numbness there is also a cooling sensation all over my mouth
- After a few minutes everything is back to normal
Although these can just be a novelty plant to grow in you garden the active chemical in the plant's extract (Spilanthol) has been studied by scientist for health benefits and medicinal properties aside from relieving minor mouth pain.
Where can I buy buzz button seeds
Both varieties of toothache plant seeds can be bought at Baker Creek Seeds.
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