THE FOLKLORE OF PLANTS: Clove

Lisa Karen Miller

          The tiny, wrinkled, brown spheres with stems attached lurking in your spice cabinet are the sundried unopened flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, an evergreen tree native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia.

          A tree named Afo lives on one of the islands. Experts believe it is the oldest clove tree in the world, and may be 400 years old.

          By the 17^th century, the Dutch East India Company had achieved a virtual monopoly of the spice trade.  They wished to control clove as they had nutmeg, which was limited to a very small area.  Clove was more broadly cultivated, so tight control of its trade would have required more resources than the company had.

          The story goes that some seedlings were stolen and taken to Zanzibar by a Frenchman called Pierre Poivre (Peter Pepper, if you can believe it).  That country is still one of the major producers of this spice.

          Clove’s strong spiciness adds flavor to food while preventing nausea – just another example of Hippocrates’ dictum: “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” Mature flowers are used to soothe aching eyes.

          Clove oil contains eugenol, making it an effective anesthetic when used for toothache, or given to teething infants.  It is also used as a flavoring and an insecticide.

          The Chinese chewed cloves to freshen their breath. You can make an effective mouthwash by pouring two cups of boiling water over two tablespoons of whole cloves.  Steep, cool, strain, and keep refrigerated in a lidded jar.

          Clove is the ingredient that provides the numbing effect for sore throats in a classic hot toddy:

1 inch whiskey

2 inches boiling water, poured over the back of a silver spoon (Yep, that’s what it said.  Obviously this was the rich people’s version.)

1 tsp honey

1 slice lemon

¼ tsp clove

          Clove symbolizes dignity and restraint, and could mean “I love you secretly.” If carried in a pocket, it attracts the opposite sex. Clove can provide comfort to the bereaved. When burned as an incense, it has the reputed power to: stop people gossiping about you; attract riches; drive away hostility; turn away negative energies; and purify the space where the smoke reaches.

          For Victorians, a gift of a clove-studded orange conveyed warmth of feeling; it also created a nice scent and served as a lovely decoration.

          Put those cloves to good use this winter, keeping your breath fresh, your throat pain-free, and your head clear.

© Copyright 2023 Lisa Karen Miller