Flora Fact: Toothy Chew
The toothache tree eases pain and hosts swallowtails.
By Sheryl Smith-Rodgers
When Ralph Arvesen explores his family’s land in the Hill Country, he often shares the biology of native plant species with his daughters.
“One time, I picked some bull nettle and showed Kaitlyn and Makayla how my skin reacted when I brushed it against my arm,” recalls Arvesen, a software engineer who lives in northwestern Blanco County. “When I spotted a little toothache tree, I explained how the species got its name, then I chewed on a leaf. That day, I returned home with a numb tongue, gum and lips — and a swollen arm!”
Instead of leaves, Comanches and other Native Americans chewed the tree’s bark to dull a throbbing tooth. Warty, knobby spines cover the trunks of older trees — hence its other vernacular names of Hercules’ club and prickly ash.
Four species of Hercules’ club, prickly ash or tickle-tongue range in Texas. Zanthoxylum clava-herculis is most common in the state’s central and eastern regions, says Mike Arnold, a horticultural professor at Texas A&M University, while Z. hirsutum is more common in the western half of the state. The southern part of the state contains Z. fa*gara, and the rare Z. parvum is found only in two West Texas counties.
In spring, Hercules’ club — found in fencerows, near rivers and at the edges of woodlands — puts on clusters of green flowers. After ripening, the tree’s brown seed capsules get eaten by birds. Ugly caterpillars resembling bird droppings dine on the tree’s leaves, then morph into lovely giant swallowtails (Papilio cresphontes).
FYI: Devil’s walkingstick (Aralia spinosa), a spiny shrub, is also called toothache tree, prickly ash and Hercules’ club. Thank goodness for botanical names!
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FAQs
The toothache tree eases pain and hosts swallowtails.
What is a toothache tree good for? ›
Pieces of the bark were chewed to help breakup a tooth that was to be remove. The plant was an ingredient in compounds that were used for kidney trouble, to strengthen convalescing patients, and to induce vomiting.
Which plant is used to cure toothache? ›
While it also goes by the Botanical name Acmella Oleracea, the herb has many other vernacular names such as Spilanthes Acmella Jambu, Electric Daisy, Para cress, and Eyeball Plant. The toothache plant is extensively found in Brazil, Australia, Africa, Sri Lanka, South, and Central India.
What tree root is good for toothache? ›
Native Americans found that the leaves and bark from the Prickly Ash contain a natural anesthetic and therefore began using it to numb toothache pain.
What tree numbs your mouth? ›
macrophyllum. The genus name is sometimes spelled Xanthoxylum. L. Along with the related Zanthoxylum americanum, it is sometimes called "toothache tree" or "tingle tongue" because chewing on the leaves, bark, or twigs causes a tingling numbness of the mouth, tongue, teeth and gums.
How do you use a toothache plant for pain? ›
As the name suggests, the toothache plant is used to ease toothache pain. When chewed, it has a numbing effect on the mouth. This local anesthetic effect is due to spilanthol, the plant's main active ingredient, according to a 2013 review . It also has plant compounds called flavonoids.
Do toothache plants work? ›
Spilanthes, also known as the “toothache plant”, may have numbing and pain-relieving effects, but human data are lacking.
What tree is used for pain relief? ›
Willow bark is used to ease pain and reduce inflammation.
What herb takes away tooth pain? ›
Cloves: Clove oil often tops natural-remedy lists for its ability to numb pain. Some rub it directly onto the sore area, or soak a cotton ball and dab it against the teeth and gums. Thyme: Ancient Greeks and Romans used thyme topically to relieve a variety of aches and pains, including toothaches.
What did Native Americans do for tooth pain? ›
Instead of leaves, Comanches and other Native Americans chewed the tree's bark to dull a throbbing tooth. Warty, knobby spines cover the trunks of older trees — hence its other vernacular names of Hercules' club and prickly ash. Four species of Hercules' club, prickly ash or tickle-tongue range in Texas.
Zanthoxylum plants (such as prickly ash) are also known as 'toothache trees' due to the analgesic properties of their bark and fruit.
What flower bud is used to cure toothaches? ›
Tell me about the “toothache plant”, Acmella oleracea
It's indigenous to this part of Peru, and the flower bud and other parts have been used as a toothache cure for hundreds of years.
What is the toothache plant tincture used for? ›
Spilanthes acmella is a traditional medicine for toothache, fever, and as an aphrodisiac; one study in rats suggests that it may increase testosterone, but it is an understudied herb. Toothache plant is most often used for Men's Health and Women's Health.
What can you make with toothache plant? ›
The fresh, young leaves can be cooked like spinach and are used as salad greens - small amounts of chopped fresh leaves will add a unique flavor to salads. It can also be added to soups and stews and both fresh and cooked leaves are combined with chili and garlic to add flavor to dishes such as stews.
Is a toothache tree poisonous? ›
The common name "toothache tree" results from the numbing sensation in the mouth produced when the bark is chewed. Caution should be used when harvesting bark, as other trees with compound leaves are poisonous.
