The Clove Tree Explained

The clove tree is a tall, aromatic evergreen whose dried, unopened flower buds are the pungent spice clove, and the tree, Syzygium aromaticum, is native to the Maluku (Moluccas) islands of Indonesia and is grown in India mainly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. A clove looks like a tiny nail, with a round head formed by the four sepals and petals that were folded over the bud, and it is one of the strongest-scented spices in the kitchen.

In India, clove is known as laung or lavang, and it is a staple of whole-spice tempering, garam masala, masala chai and the paan tradition. This explainer covers how the clove tree grows, how its buds are picked and dried, why the spice smells and tastes as it does, and how it is used in Indian homes.

Quick Facts

Key Takeaways

• Clove is the dried, unopened flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum, an evergreen tree of the myrtle family.
• The clove tree is native to the Maluku islands of Indonesia and was carried to many tropical regions, including southern India, through trade.
• Eugenol is the chief aromatic compound of clove and forms the larger part of clove bud oil.
• Clove buds are picked by hand when they are mature but still closed, and they are dried in the sun until they turn dark brown.
• In India, clove is grown mainly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and much of the supply used in Indian kitchens is imported.
• Clove is used whole in tempering and rice dishes, ground in garam masala and chai, and as an oil in traditional dental and household remedies.

What is the clove tree and what does it look like?

The clove tree is a medium to tall evergreen tree, commonly 8 to 15 metres tall, with a conical crown, smooth grey bark and glossy, leathery leaves that smell strongly of spice when crushed. The tree belongs to the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, which also includes the guava, the eucalyptus and the jamun.

Young leaves are a reddish or purplish colour and turn deep green as they age. The flowers grow in terminal clusters at the tips of branches. Each bud is first green, then becomes a pale yellow and finally a pinkish red as it nears the stage at which it is picked. If the bud is left on the tree, it opens into a small flower with many tiny white stamens, and later forms a fruit sometimes called “mother of clove”. The aromatic quality of the spice is highest in the bud before the flower opens.

The wood and the leaves also contain oil, which is why the entire tree gives off a pleasant smell in a plantation.

Where does the clove tree grow, and where is it grown in India?

The clove tree grows best in a warm, humid, tropical climate with steady rainfall, deep, well-drained loamy soil and shelter from strong wind, and in India it is grown chiefly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu, the Kanyakumari district and the Nilgiri hills are the best-known areas, while in Kerala it is planted in the hill and foothill belt of the Western Ghats.

The tree is generally grown at low to medium elevations and will not tolerate waterlogging or prolonged dryness. It is often planted in a mixed system, sometimes shaded by taller trees, along with crops such as coconut, arecanut, pepper and cardamom. Smaller plantings exist in parts of Karnataka. Indonesia, Madagascar and Tanzania (especially Zanzibar) are the largest producers in the world, and India relies on imports to meet much of its demand.

How is the clove tree propagated?

The clove tree is propagated from fresh seed, called mother of clove, which is sown in a nursery and shaded until the seedlings are strong enough to transplant. The seeds must be sown soon after collection because they lose viability quickly. Seedlings are usually held in the nursery for a year or more and then planted out in the field in the rainy season.

How long does a clove tree take to flower?

A clove tree typically takes about five to eight years after planting before it begins to flower, and it reaches full production only after about ten to fifteen years. This long waiting period is one reason that clove is considered a patient, long-term plantation crop and not a quick-return field crop.

Once established, the tree can remain productive for several decades. Production usually varies from year to year, with a heavy flowering season often followed by a lighter one. Farmers therefore take into account the natural rhythm of the tree when planning income.

How are cloves harvested and dried?

Cloves are harvested by hand when the flower buds have reached full size but have not yet opened, which is generally when the green bud acquires a pink flush at its base. The picker climbs a ladder or the tree itself and picks the clusters, because the buds must be collected at exactly the right moment for the best oil content.

• Picking: Buds are plucked by hand in clusters at the right stage. Late picking results in open flowers with a lower oil content and a reduced value.
• Separating: The buds are separated from the clusters, and the stalks are kept aside because they can also be distilled for oil.
• Drying: The buds are spread thinly on mats or clean floors and dried in the sun for several days. They shrink and change from pinkish to a rich reddish-brown or dark brown.
• Sorting: Good cloves are firm, dark, heavy and oily, and dried buds that are shrivelled or faded are separated out.
• Packing: Dried cloves are packed in dry bags or containers, and moisture is avoided because it spoils the spice.

A properly dried clove is hard and brittle and leaves a fine trace of oil when pressed with a fingernail. If a clove is soft or smells weak, it is likely to be stale or of poor quality.

Why does clove smell and taste so strong?

Clove smells and tastes so strong because it contains a high proportion of the aromatic compound eugenol, which generally makes up the larger part of clove bud oil. Eugenol gives clove its sharp, warm, slightly numbing character, and it is the reason a single clove can flavour an entire pot of rice.

The bud also contains caryophyllene, a compound found in several other spices, and small amounts of other volatile molecules. Because of this strength, clove is used sparingly in cooking, and a few pieces are enough for a dish that serves several people. Clove leaf oil and stem oil are also rich in eugenol and are used in industry for flavouring, perfumery and the manufacture of other compounds.

How is clove used in Indian cooking?

Clove is used in Indian cooking as a whole spice fried at the start of a dish, as a key part of garam masala, and as a flavouring for tea, sweets and betel preparations. Cooks usually add two or three whole cloves to hot oil or ghee along with cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf, which is a typical opening for pulao, biryani and many curries.

Whole cloves are generally taken out of the dish or left aside when eating, because biting into one gives a very strong, numbing sensation.

What are the traditional and medicinal uses of clove?

Clove has been used in traditional Indian medicine and household practice as a warming, digestive and mildly numbing agent, and it is known in Ayurveda as lavanga. The best-known home use is the application of clove or diluted clove oil to a sore tooth, a practice supported by the fact that eugenol has a mild local anaesthetic and antiseptic action.

Eugenol is also used in some dental preparations, and clove features in kadha, cough lozenges and herbal tea mixtures. However, undiluted clove oil is very strong and can irritate the gums, skin and mouth. It should not be given to young children, and anyone with persistent tooth or gum pain should see a dentist. Large amounts of clove oil can be harmful, so the spice is best treated as a flavouring and a traditional home aid rather than a medicine.

What is the history of the clove trade?

The history of the clove trade is the history of a tiny group of islands whose spice was prized across Asia, the Middle East and Europe for more than two thousand years. For many centuries, cloves grew only in the Maluku islands, and traders carried them through Indian Ocean ports, including those on the Malabar coast, to markets far away.

In the seventeenth century, the Dutch East India Company enforced a monopoly by restricting clove cultivation to a few islands and destroying trees elsewhere. The monopoly eventually broke down in the eighteenth century when clove seedlings were taken out and planted in other tropical regions, such as Mauritius, Zanzibar and Madagascar. Clove cultivation in southern India grew after this spread of the tree, as the Western Ghats offered suitable conditions.

What is clove oil and how is it made?

Clove oil is the volatile essential oil obtained by steam distillation of clove buds, stems or leaves, and it is a pale yellow liquid with the powerful smell of the spice. The oil from buds is considered the finest and is used in flavouring and dental products, while the cheaper leaf and stem oils serve mainly as a source of eugenol for industry.

In distillation, steam is passed through the crushed plant material, carries the aromatic molecules with it, and is then cooled so that the oil separates from the water. Small distillation units operate in clove-growing regions, and the remaining water, called hydrosol, is sometimes used as a mild fragrance. Clove oil is also used in soaps, incense, perfumery and as a natural preservative in some food and cosmetic products. Because of its strength, it is always diluted before use on the skin or in the mouth.

How should cloves be stored and checked for quality?

Cloves should be stored whole in a cool, dry, airtight container away from sunlight and moisture, and fresh cloves can retain their aroma for a year or more. Ground clove loses its smell much faster, so it is better to grind small amounts as needed.

• A good clove is dark brown, plump and oily, with a well-formed round head.
• Cloves with a very pale or faded colour, a wrinkled body or a weak smell are probably old.
• A traditional test is to drop a clove in water: a good bud tends to sink or float upright, as its oil-heavy base makes it heavy, while a spent bud with its oil extracted floats flat. This is a rough guide, not a reliable laboratory test.
• Avoid damp storage, because moisture quickly encourages mould.

Bottom Line

The clove tree gives the world a flower bud that is small in size but large in flavour, and its role in Indian cooking and traditional care is long-standing. India grows clove mainly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, while importing a large share of its needs. Buying whole, dark and oily buds and storing them dry is the simplest way to enjoy this spice at its best.

Frequently Asked Questions

What part of the clove tree is the spice?

The spice clove is the dried, unopened flower bud of the clove tree, Syzygium aromaticum. The buds are picked by hand when they turn from green to pink and then dried in the sun until they become dark brown. The leaves and stems are not sold as the spice, but they are distilled to make clove oil.

Where is clove grown in India?

Clove is grown in India mainly in Tamil Nadu, especially in the Kanyakumari district and the Nilgiri hills, and in Kerala. Small plantings also exist in parts of Karnataka. The tree needs a warm, humid climate and well-drained soil, and India imports a large share of the clove it uses.

How many years does a clove tree take to give buds?

A clove tree usually begins to flower about five to eight years after planting and reaches full production after roughly ten to fifteen years. The tree can then remain productive for several decades. Yields vary from year to year, which is normal for the species.

Why is clove used for toothache?

Clove is used for toothache because it contains eugenol, a compound with a mild numbing and antiseptic action. People place a whole clove or a little diluted clove oil near the sore tooth for temporary relief. Pure clove oil is strong and can irritate the mouth, so a dentist should be consulted for any lasting pain.

What is the difference between clove and laung?

There is no difference, because laung is simply the Hindi name for clove. Lavang is the same word in Marathi and some other languages, and both refer to the dried flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum. In recipes and shops across India, the two names are used interchangeably.

How can fresh cloves be told from old ones?

Fresh cloves are dark brown, plump and oily, with a strong smell and a well-formed head. Old cloves are often pale, shrivelled and brittle, with a weak or flat aroma. Pressing a clove with a fingernail should leave a trace of oil if the spice is still good.

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