description
The clove tree is an evergreen tree of the Myrtaceae family. It is a triangular
shaped evergreen tree growing about 40 feet tall with smooth gray bark and
5-inch-long, glossy opposite leaves that resemble bay leaves.
The attractive red and white bell shaped flowers bloom year round in ¼ inch clusters at the ends
of the branches and have four tiny petals surrounded by a long, four-parted
calyx (the “stem” of the clove) and numerous stamens. The buds are pink, but the
calyx changes from yellow to deep red-pink after the stamens fall. The fruit,
called mother-of-cloves, is an edible purple berry about 1 inch long and ½
inch across.
The entire plant is extremely aromatic.
common names & nomenclature
The generic name, Syzygium, comes from a Greek word meaning “yoked
together” and refers to the union, in some species, of the petal tips into a
cap that covers the stamens. The word clove is believed to come from either
the French clou or the Latin clavus both meaning "nail" in reference to
the shape of the clove bud. The genus name, Eugenia, is named after Prince
Eugene of Savoy (1663-1736).
Also known as:
eugenia caryophyllata, eugenia aromatica, caryophyllus aromaticus, oleum caryophylli
