Acmella oleracea

RHS Plant Profile

Pará cress

RHS

Other common names

agrião do para, Brazil cress, brede mafane, eye ball plant, novacaine plant, phak khraat hua van, salad cress, spot plant, toothache plant, para cress

Synonyms

Spilanthes 'Peek-a-boo'
Spilanthes acmella 'Brede Mafane'
Acmella oleracea 'Brede Mafane'
Acmella oleracea 'Peek-a-boo'
Spilanthes acmella misapplied
Spilanthes oleracea

Herbaceous Perennial Annual Biennial

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A tender, evergreen perennial usually grown as an annual, with culinary and medicinal uses. The leaves are dark bronzy green and the petal-less, pompom flowers, produced from mid-summer to early autumn, are yellow with a red centre

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1–2 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or West–facing or East–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Asteraceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Acmella can be either annual or perennial herbs and are native to the Americas. Their branching stems can grow either horizontally or vertically. Flowers are solitary, and most commonly yellow or orange in colour but occasionally white or purple.
Name Status: Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Sow seed in pots in frost-free conditions - do not cover as the seeds need light to germinate. Plant young plants out when all risk of frost has passed, and remove plants at the end of the season. Does best in a sunny position, in moist, fertile, well-drained, neutral soil

Propagation

Propagate by seed, or by softwood cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free