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Cloves Syzygium aromaticum

Description: The sun-dried flower buds of this small bushy tree have been one of the world's most precious spices and a key ingredient during colonial times. The flower buds are pink until dried, where upon they turn brown. The buds contain a chemical called eugenol, which gives them their characteristic aroma. Trade in cloves can be traced back some 2000 years to China, India and even the Roman Empire.

Cloves are one of the primary seven ingredients in Buddhist incense and are known to be very stimulating.

Family: Myrtaceae

Synonyms: Eugenia caryophyllata

Origin: Moluccas Islands (Spice Islands), Indonesia, Madagascar, Tanzania (Zanzibar), Comoro Islands

Parts Used: flower buds

Aroma Description: intense, spicy, warming, slightly sour-fruity, refreshing

Emotional Attributes: strengthening, love

Cosmetic Uses: widely used in perfumery, potpourris, pomanders, as well as to flavor toothpaste

Culinary Uses: the buds are chewed as a breath freshener, widely used for food and drink flavoring. Used to flavor Vermouth and Indian and Indonesian cigarettes.

Medicinal Attributes: used to treat gastroenteritis and intestinal parasites, toothaches and insect bites. In traditional Chinese medicine cloves are used as a kidney tonic, to relieve pain, treat nausea, vomiting, stomach chills and impotence. Strongly antiseptic.

Element Association: Fire

Magical Associations: protection, spirituality, awareness, prosperity

Astrological Association: Aries, Scorpio, Pisces, Sagittarius

Planetary Association: Jupiter

Season: Summer 

Aromatic Note: Middle note

Essential Oil: Yes, steam distilled, widely used in perfumery

Mixes Well With: aloeswood, borneol camphor, benzoin, cassia, cinnamon, frankincense, guggul, lavender, myrrh, musk seed, nutmeg, opoponax, patchouli, rose, saffron, sandalwood, spikenard, star anise, storax, tolu balsam, turmeric, vanilla, etc.

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