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Summary
Clove, Syzygium aromaticum, is a tropical and evergreen tree growing up to 20 m in height and 30 cm in trunk diameter. It has clusters of bright red flowers located on the ends of branches. The bark is gray. The leaves are large, reddish when young and turn dark green upon maturity. The fruits are oblong, red, and fleshy, containing one or two seeds. Cloves contain essential oil which is used medicinally against pain, nausea, vomiting, internal parasites, chills, headache, toothache, colds, arthritis, rheumatism, and impotence. The flower buds are chewed as breath freshener or as relief from toothache. Further, flower buds are edible, usually dried and used as spies. The essential oil, on the other hand, can also be used as food flavoring. Plants can be grown from fresh seed then transplanted 15 months after sowing.
Physical Characteristics
Syzygium is an evergreen Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 20 m (65ft) at a slow rate.
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 10 and is frost tender. The flowers are pollinated by Bees. The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid and saline soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.
UK Hardiness Map
US Hardiness Map
Synonyms
Caryophyllus aromaticus L. Eugenia aromatica (L.) Baill. Eugenia caryophyllata Thunb. Eugenia caryop
Plant Habitats
Edible Uses
Flower buds - dried and used as a spice in a variety of foods such as cakes, baked apples and mincemeat[301 , 303 ]. The buds are sometimes chewed after meals[301 ]. An essential oil obtained from the plant is used as a flavouring in a wide range of foods such as bakery products, chewing gums, ice cream, sauces and candies[301 ]. Fruit pulp[301 ].
References More on Edible Uses
Medicinal Uses
Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Cloves, and the essential oil contained in them, are often used medicinally[238 ]. A spicy, warming, stimulant herb, it is strongly antiseptic, relieves pain, controls nausea and vomiting, improves digestion, protects against intestinal parasites, and causes uterine contractions[238 ]. Cloves are taken internally as a tea in the treatment of internal parasites, stomach upsets, chills and impotence[238 , 303 ]. The flower buds are chewed to freshen the breath or ease the pain of toothache[303 ]. The essential oil is applied externally in the treatment of toothache, headache, cold, arthritis and rheumatism[238 , 303 ]. It is also useful for treating ulcers, bruises, burns, bronchitis, asthma, minor infections and colic. It is sometimes used to ease nausea[303 ] Two little-known compounds in clove oil have shown 'strong activity' against bacteria associated with plaque formation and gum disease[303 ]. Clove oil is very potent and can cause gum irritation, it is advisable to dilute it with equal amounts of vegetable oil. For infants an even milder dilution is required. Use should be avoided during pregnancy, or if with sensitive skin[303 ]. An infusion of the shoots and the unopened, dried flower buds (cloves) is used for an excitant[348 ].
References More on Medicinal Uses
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Other Uses
Other Uses: Clove oil is extracted by water distillation and mixes well with cinnamon, cedar, lavender, rose and bergamot. Essential oil content in good quality cloves may exceed 15%. The oil is dominated by eugenol (70-85%), eugenol acetate (15%) and beta-caryophyllene (5-12%). Cloves contain about 2% of the triterpene oleanolic acid[303 ]. It is used in perfumery, as a flavouring and medicinally[238 ]. The cloves are used in potpourris and pomanders[238 ].
Special Uses
References More on Other Uses
Cultivation details
Cloves thrive in lowland humid tropical areas where the temperature is fairly steady, growing best in an island setting at elevations below 300 metres[200 ]. Notions about the ecological requirements of the clove vary, perhaps because of an underlying dilemma: a climate with a marked dry season promotes flowering, but the tree does not cope at all well with stress[303 ]. There are two ways out of this dilemma. The first is to choose a climate with a pronounced dry season, but to limit stress by going for deep fertile soils, providing water and shade during the early years[303 ]. The other way is to choose a wet climate with a short dry season[303 ]. The best quality cloves for use as a spice are grown in the wetter climates where annual rainfall is in excess of 1,500mm and usually in the range 3,000 - 4,000mm[303 ]. Requires a light, well-drained soil, requiring some shade, especially when young[200 ]. Growth can be sustained on poor and acid soils, but waterlogging is very harmful[303 ]. Requires shelter from the wind[303 ]. The clove tree is monoecious, flowers are hermaphrodite and self-pollinating. The tree matures between 8-10 years after planting[303 ]. Clove trees live for more than 100 years, the oldest tree recorded is aged 375 years in Indonesia[303 ]. Generally, it takes 20-30 years for clove to attain full bearing[303 ]. Bloom Color: White/Near White(orange, yellow).
References Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information
Temperature Converter
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Plant Propagation
Seed - the seed has a short viability of about 2 weeks so should be sown as soon as it is ripe in shady nursery beds, placing the seeds about 25mm deep in the soil[303 ]. About 70% of the seeds germinate, usually after 1 - 6 weeks[303 ]. Plant out when they are about 25cm tall[303 ]. Cuttings of terminal leafy softwood, kept in a frame at high humidity until they have rooted[200 ].
Other Names
If available other names are mentioned here
Bungah cengkeh, Chengkeh, Chingkeh, Choji, Cingkeh, Clavo, Cravo, Ding xiang, Garofano, Gewurznelke, Giroffe, Giroflier, Gvozdika, Kaan ploo, Karabu, Karayampu, Kirambu, Klam pu, Krambu, Kruidnagel, Laung, Lavang, Lavanga, Lavangamuchettu, Lavangamulu, Ley-nyin-bwint, Mkarafuu, Qaranful, Ting hsiang, añcukam, benefundi, bunga cengkeh, caryophylli aetheroleum, caryophylli floris aetheroleum, caryophylli flos, caryophylli flos pulveratus, caryophylli fructus, cavo-aromático, chiodi di garofano, chiodi garofano, choji, choko, chouji, choukou, clavero, clavero giroflé, clavo de olor, clavo, aceite esencial, clavo, aceite esencial de, clavos, clou de girofle, clou de girofle (huile essentielle de), clous de girofle, clove, clove bud, clove bud oil, clove flower bud, clove fruit, clove leaf, clove leaf oil, clove oil, clove stem, clove stem oil, clove tree, clove-tree, cloves, cloves, whole and ground (powdered), clovetree, clove|karambu neti / lamanga, colve, cravo da índia, cravo-da-índia, cravo-das-molucas, cravo-de-doce, cravo-do-reino, cocam, devakusuman, devapuspa, devapu?pa, ding huong, ding xiang, dingxiang, etericno olje cveta dišecega klincevca, eugenia caryophyllata, feuille de giroflier, flores caryophylli, flos caryophylli, fructus caryophylli, garofano essenza, gewürznelke, gewürznelken, gewürznelkenbaum, girofle, giroflier, glove, grampu, griffe de giroflier, gurunful, harilik negipuu, ilava?kam (flower bud), kaan phluu, kaan pluu, kade, kanumfari, karafwu, karampu, karanfal, karanho, karayampoovu, karayanpu, kau-phlu, kirambu, kirambum, kirampu, klincekovcová silica, konofuru, koronfol, krambu, kruidnagelolie, krustnaglinu [naglinkoka ziedu] eteriska ella, kryddnejlika, kryddnejlika, blomma, kyddernellikolje, labanga, lan, lauang, laung, lavang, lavanga, lavangaha, lavangalu, lavangam, lavangamuchettu, lavangamulu, lava?ga (flower bud), laving, lawang, long, mudingxiang, neilikkaöljy, nelgiõli, nelkenöl, nellikeolie, nägelein, oil of clove leaves, olejek eteryczny gozdzikowy, oleum caryophylli, osaragbogo-eze, powdered clove, qaranfal, qaranful, qarnful, qenefil, qerenfil, qoranful, qronfel, quranful, rumân, rung, silice hrebíckovcového kvetu, syzygii flos, szegfüszeg, szegfuszegolaj, tira?i, ud-nuwwar, ulei volatil de cuisoare, vara?kam, árbol del clavo, óleo essencial de cravinho.
Native Range
TROPICAL ASIA: Indonesia (Maluku)
Weed Potential
Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section.
Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed
Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.
Expert comment
Author
(L.) Merr. & L.M.Perry
Botanical References
Links / References
For a list of references used on this page please go here
A special thanks to Ken Fern for some of the information used on this page.
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