| Latin Name : | Eugenia caryophyllus |
| English Name : | Clove, bud |
| French Name : | Clou de girofle |
| Family : | Myrtaceae |
| Origin : | Madagascar, Sri Lanka |
History and Origin
Clove tree is an evergreen medium-sized tree native from the small volcanic islands of the Moluccas, Indonesia. Clove buds have long been known from the Chinese (you had to chew one to speak to the emperor) and around the Mediterranean Sea. Imported in Europe in the Middle Age, clove used to be extremely expensive. Its origin remained secret at first and, just like for cinnamon and nutmeg, only the Portuguese and Dutch colonization brought about large scale harvesting and exportation activities towards Europe.