Quick Facts

Botanical Name: Syzygium aromaticum
Family name: Myrtle family
Common Name: Clove
Part used: flower buds which are not opened yet are dried to make clove
Specific Gravity: 1.0340 to 1.0450
Refractive Index: 1.5275 to 1.5375
Optical Rotation: -2.00 to 1.00
Odour: Spicy hot penetrating

Blends Well With : Basil, lavender, sandalwood, ginger, benzoin, clary sage and cinnamon.

Uses: Tea spices, herbal teas are made tasty by the use of cloves, decorations on salads are also done.

It has no colour and a pinch of it is nice in taste. It is naturally good in herbal medicines. It should be kept handy for a home remedy for oral tooth aches.

Countries where it's found

Cloves are found in Maluku Island in Indonesia, most parts of India, Zanzibar, Madagascar and also in Pakistan.

Harvesting Information

The clove essential oil needs both ample sunlight and moisture to grow. It is taken from clove trees, which are grown till the height of 12m. Then the flower buds are visible on this evergreen tree, which change their pale colour to green and then to red and are ready to get separated from the tree. These flowers buds, which are not opened yet, are dried to make clove, which is available in market for sale.

History of the Plant

The history of the clove plant is 350 and 400 years old as it is quoted somewhere in the history that AFO was the oldest tree of clove till a French man stole the seedlings of the tree from Tidore and brought it to France and then they were further transferred to Zanzibar (one of the major producers of cloves at present). Spice Island or Maluku (including Bacan, Makian, Moti, Ternate, and Tidore) was the only native island till the seedling was stolen from Tidore.

Extraction Process

Dry or wet flower buds are steam distilled as commonly done for extracting most of essential oils

Commonly known Benefits

• Clove essential oil is traditionally used for tooth aches and are good pain killers for instant relief of teeth.
• Meals can never be complete without clove essential oil but overuse of it can spoil your recipe too.
• In big hotels cloves are used for decorative purposes too.
• Cloves are used for flavouring many desserts and dishes and to add a strong aroma in the flavour.
• Good for digestive purpose.
• To spice meats.
• Helps to cure diarrhoea and stomach infections.
• Most of the Chinese and Ayurvedic medicines have clove oil as an essential ingredient.
• It helps to regulate nerve system.
• Diluted clove oil can be converted into good body massage oil.
• Popularly used in most mouthwash products and also supportive in disinfecting the rooms.
• Used in love potions too.

Clove essential oil is a common oil and almost everyone is aware of its benefits because of its glorious history and vast use for centuries. It creates numbness in the oral tissues but should not be used while getting root canal or after that as it can create reaction with the chemicals and can cause harm.