The first time I grew a toothache plant was in 2021, and I'll be completely honest—I didn't buy the seeds because of its traditional uses.
I bought them because I thought the flowers looked cool.
The unusual little yellow and red blooms reminded me of eyeballs, so around here I've always called it my eyeball plant.
I purchased seeds for Bullseye Toothache Plant, and once I started growing it, I discovered there was a lot more to this strange little plant than its appearance.
Best of all, it was incredibly easy to grow.
The first time I grew a toothache plant was in 2021, and I'll be completely honest—I didn't buy the seeds because of its traditional uses.
I bought them because I thought the flowers looked cool.
The unusual little yellow and red blooms reminded me of eyeballs, so around here I've always called it my eyeball plant.
I purchased seeds for Bullseye Toothache Plant, and once I started growing it, I discovered there was a lot more to this strange little plant than its appearance.
WHAT IS A TOOTHACHE PLANT?
Toothache plant is also commonly called buzz buttons, electric daisy, or eyeball plant.
The flowers are certainly unusual. Depending on the variety, they look like little yellow buttons or yellow and red eyeballs sticking up above the foliage.
That's what attracted me to the plant in the first place.
But toothache plant also has a long history of traditional use, particularly because of a compound called spilanthol.
Chewing a flower can produce a strong tingling or numbing sensation in the mouth followed by a surprising amount of saliva.
There's actually a word for something that increases saliva production: sialagogue.
So if you decide to taste one, don't be surprised when your mouth suddenly starts watering!
STARTING TOOTHACHE PLANT FROM SEED
You can start toothache plant indoors about 4–6 weeks before your last expected frost.
That's what I did.
Plant the tiny seeds in seed-starting mix and keep them moist while they germinate.
Because the seeds are very small, they don't need to be buried deeply. Press them gently onto the surface and give them only a very light covering, if any.
Once the seedlings are growing well and the danger of frost has passed, gradually introduce them to outdoor conditions before planting them in the garden.
You can also skip the indoor growing altogether and direct sow the seeds outside after the danger of frost has passed.
That's certainly the easier option if your growing season is long enough.
WHERE TO PLANT TOOTHACHE PLANT
Plant it somewhere that receives plenty of sunshine.
I planted mine directly in a flowerbed along with my other plants.
And that was pretty much it.
I watered it when I watered everything else and gave it no special treatment.
It grew beautifully.
You can also grow toothache plant in a container, which is a good option if you don't have much garden space.
GIVE IT SOME ROOM
Don't let those tiny seedlings fool you. Toothache plant can spread.
About 6–12 inches between plants gives them room to fill out.
If you're planting several, remember that they'll look much bigger by the middle of summer than they did when you first put them in the ground.
This is also one of those plants that can make a really interesting addition to an edible or herb garden because the flowers look so different from almost anything else you're growing.
WATERING
I don't use a special watering schedule for mine.
I simply water toothache plant when I'm watering the rest of my garden.
Keep newly planted seedlings watered while they're getting established. After that, check the soil and water when it begins getting dry.
That's really all I've found necessary.
WHAT ABOUT FERTILIZER?
This is another plant I wouldn't overthink.
If your soil is reasonably good and the plant is growing well, you may not need to do much at all.
If you're growing it in a container or the plant looks like it needs a boost, use a general-purpose fertilizer according to the package directions.
Mine grew without any special fertilizer routine.
WHEN DOES TOOTHACHE PLANT BLOOM?
Once the weather warms and the plants become established, they'll begin producing those unusual button-shaped flowers.
And the more they bloom, the stranger the garden looks!
The flowers start out fairly small and develop their characteristic yellow coloring, with some varieties developing a reddish center.
They're definitely a conversation starter.
CAN YOU SAVE THE SEEDS?
Yes!
If you want to grow toothache plant again next year, allow some of the flowers to remain on the plant and mature instead of removing all of them.
Once the flower heads are completely dry, you can collect the seeds and store them somewhere cool and dry for planting the following season.
That means one packet of seeds can potentially keep you growing toothache plants for years.
WILL TOOTHACHE PLANT COME BACK NEXT YEAR?
Toothache plant is a tropical plant and can behave as a perennial in very warm climates.
Where winters freeze, it's generally easier to think of it as an annual and grow it again from seed each year.
I grow mine as a warm-season plant and don't expect it to survive our winter.
Fortunately, it's easy enough to start again from seed.
WHY IS IT CALLED TOOTHACHE PLANT?
This is probably the most interesting part of the plant.
Toothache plant has a long history of traditional use, and its flowers and leaves contain spilanthol, which can create a strong tingling or numbing sensation in the mouth.
Chewing a small amount of the flower can also cause your mouth to produce a LOT of saliva.
The sensation doesn't last forever, but it's definitely memorable!
You'll sometimes see toothache plant described online as a treatment for toothaches, mouth infections, wounds, and other conditions. While the plant and spilanthol have been studied for a variety of biological effects, I wouldn't use the plant as a substitute for dental or medical treatment.
For me, it's primarily a fascinating plant that's fun and incredibly easy to grow.
DON'T OVERTHINK GROWING TOOTHACHE PLANT
This may be one of the easiest unusual plants I've ever grown.
I started the seeds, planted the seedlings in my flowerbed after frost, watered them along with everything else, and basically left them alone.
They grew.
That's it.
If you're a beginning gardener—or you're one of those people who insists you have a black thumb—this is a fun plant to try.
You don't need special soil, a complicated fertilizer schedule, or years of gardening experience.
Plant the seeds. Give them sunshine and water.
Then wait for those funny little eyeballs to start appearing in your garden.