This Kenyan species of toothache plant grows as a ground cover or vine. It’s sensitive to frost but makes a great medicinal annual plant for our climate. We occasionally grow the vines in hanging baskets because they spread so wonderfully and make a great medicinal decoration for the porch in summer and as a houseplant in the winter.
Another well-known name is Kenyan Spilanthes. A tea, tincture, or just eating the flowers makes your mouth tingle as it activates your salival glands and stimulates your white blood cells to fight infections in the gums, tongue, and mouth. Our family enjoys a mouth wash with a dropperful of tincture in a little water.
