Clove
Clove consists of dried flower buds (clove bud), pungent-sweet and intense; it is used both in perfumery and as a warming stomachic, and is extremely common among spices.
Aliases: clove bud (flower bud), clove mother (fruit, also known as “chicken-tongue spice”).
Source: flower buds of plants in the genus Syzygium (Myrtaceae).
Origin: Indonesia (Maluku), Tanzania, Zanzibar (formerly known as the “Island of Cloves”).
Aroma: pungent, sweet, warm, highly penetrating, noticeable even in small amounts.
UsesBlending incense to enhance fragrance (combined with agarwood and sandalwood); used medicinally to warm the middle and descend rebellion, and to tonify the kidneys (in ancient times, "holding clove in the mouth" was used to fragrance the breath); clove oil is also extracted.