Clove is the dried flower buds of a tropical tree. The dried buds are used as spices. The name comes from the French word for nail because of the shape of the flower bud. The clove tree grows wild in parts of Indonesia and the Caribbean. It is grown as a crop in Indonesia, Madagascar, and Tanzania.
The clove tree, an evergreen, grows 15 to 30 feet (4.6 to 9 meters) tall. The large, smooth, oblong leaves taper to a point. The tree’s purplish flowers grow on jointed stalks. The buds of these flowers, called cloves, are picked before they open. They are reddish when picked but turn dark brown when dried. Cloves have a fragrant odor and a warm, sharp taste. They are used chiefly in cooking. An oil from the clove tree’s buds and stem is used to flavor desserts and candies and to scent soaps.
