An Introduction to Cloves

You may know cloves for their warm, sweet-spicy flavor in baked goods and mulled drinks—but these tiny dried flower buds offer much more than culinary charm.

Cloves come from the Syzygium aromaticum tree, a tropical evergreen native to Indonesia’s Maluku Islands. Thriving in warm, humid climates with rich soil, these trees can grow up to 30 feet tall and produce crimson flower buds. Harvested by hand just before blooming, the buds are sun-dried until they develop the deep reddish-brown color familiar to spice racks worldwide.

Hand-picking isn’t just tradition—it’s essential. This careful process preserves the buds’ rich essential oils, especially eugenol, which gives cloves their signature aroma and potent medicinal qualities. Cloves have been valued for centuries not only for flavor but for their potential health benefits, including anti-inflammatory effects and natural oral care support.

Used whole or ground, cloves are tiny but mighty. Now that you know their origins and processing, the next step is understanding the science behind their wellness potential, traditional applications, and how to use them safely in daily life.