Spilanthes Flower (Toothache Plant)

Known to herbalists as the toothache plant and to some gardeners as the eyeball plant for its cute yellow globe flowers. Spilanthes’ tingling and mouth-numbing properties appear rapidly and last a short while. It was introduced from Brazil to North America in the 1860s and listed as Para Cress in seed catalogs a century ago. Use its bronzy-purple leaves in salad or chew the leaves and flowers for temporary pain relief. Its immune-stimulating properties are giving it a wider audience.