CLOVES

INTRODUCTION
Cloves are strong, aromatic, dried, unopened flower buds of an evergreen tree. Clove is the second most
important spice in world trade. The word clove comes from the French clou, or nail, which describes its
shape.
DESCRIPTION

A conical tropical evergreen myrtaceous tree reaching heights of up to 14 m (45 ft).

The bark is gray, the leaves are a shiny dark green, elliptical in shape and very fragrant. Small
crimson flowers grow in triple clusters at the ends of branches.

The fruit is a purple drupe, about 2.5 cm (1) long.
ORIGIN
Indigenous to the Moluccas islands of Indonesia, clove is among the oldest spices. This spice was well
known in Europe by 12th century AD. East India Company introduced it to India during early 19th century.
GEOGRAPHICAL CONDITIONS

Clove trees grow luxuriously in a warm and humid climate and prefer an annual rainfall range of
1500-2000 mm with a mean temperature range of 20-35C.

The tree flourishes only in tropical moist climate.

Harvest season: September to October in plains & December to February in hills. Marketing season:
November to April.
CULTIVATION
The cloves are mainly cultivated in tropical plantations near the sea. The plant is a tropical evergreen
growing to about 45 ft with shiny dark green leaves and small crimson flowers.
PRODUCTION & PROCESSING
The clove tree is an evergreen that grows to about 15 to 45 feet in height. Its gland-dotted leaves are
small, simple and opposite. The clove tree is propagated by seed. After the seeds have been transplanted
in fields, the first crop can be harvested when the trees are six to eight years old. At harvest, the
unopened buds are removed from the trees by hand. Flowering begins around the fifth year; a tree may
annually yield up to 75 pounds (34 kg) of dried buds. The cultivated tree, from which the cloves are
gathered, is not as tall as in the wild state, but its aromatic properties are much more pronounced. The
flowers are collected twice yearly, in June and December, before they are fully developed and just as they
become bright red. They are either handpicked or knocked from the tree with bamboo poles to fall upon a
cloth outstretched to receive them. They consist of a roundish bud of unexpanded petals, which are
quickly dried in the sun, thereby becoming brown. The finest kinds are plump, heavy, dark and give out oil
when squeezed with a nail. These are usually from East Africa and the Moluccas. A lighter-colored,
shrunken variety comes from South America and the West Indies. Occasionally cloves from which the oil
has been partially extracted, appear in market mixed with the better qualities. The island of Zanzibar,
which is part of Tanzania, is the world's largest producer of cloves. Madagascar and Indonesia are smaller
producers.
LEADING PRODUCERS

Clove is produced in Indonesia, India, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, Tanzania and Malaysia.

The major clove producing states in India are Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala where climate and
soil condition is ideal.
STORAGE
Cloves are best bought whole as they can be easily crumbled to powder when needed.

Store in an airtight container kept away from direct light.

Ground cloves should be stored in a cool, dry place and should be stored off the floor and away from

outside walls to minimize the chance of dampness.
COMPOSITION
Clove consists of moisture, carbohydrate, protein, volatile oils, non-volatile ether extracts and crude
fibres. It also contains minerals, ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid, calcium phosphorous, iron, sodium,
potassium, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C and vitamin A. Its calorific value is 430.
NUTRITIVE VALUE
The nutritional composition of cloves is as follows
Moisture 25.2gms
Protein 5.2 gms
Fat 8.9 gms
Minerals 9.5 gms
Carbohydrate 46.0 gms
Energy 286.00 k cal
Calcium 740.00 mgms
Iron 11.700 mgms
Thiamin 0.0800 mgms
Riboflavin 0.130 mgms per 100grams.
MEDICINAL USES
Cloves contain 15 to 20% essential oil, which is mostly Eugenol, which is a very strong antiseptic

Cloves are carminative, stimulant, aromatic and antispasmodic, oil is antiseptic, local anesthetic.

Cloves are astringent, stimulant, appetizer, anodyne and an aid to digestion.

They are good for the eyes, asthma, hiccups, colic, tuberculosis and most diseases of the head.

Cloves increase white blood corpuscles, thus increasing the bodys resistance to diseases, infections,
and viruses.

Medicinally it is used to increase the flow of saliva, relieve colic, indigestion and vomiting.

Oil of clove is used for relief from toothaches and sore gums.

The oil, whole and powdered cloves use for local pain relieving purpose.
HISTORY

Cloves have a rich history dating back to 207 B.C. in China, when the emperors ordered visitors to
chew cloves to freshen their breath.

After a long trade war, the Dutch gained a monopoly on the clove trade, destroying any trees that
were not planted by the Dutch East India Company. In the 18th century, a French adventurer broke
the monopoly by smuggling seedlings across the Indian Ocean.
TRIVIA

Wars were fought in Europe and with native islanders to secure rights to the profitable clove
business.

Natives in the Molucca Islands planted a Clove tree for each child born. They believed that the fate of
the tree was linked to the fate of that child.