Have you ever wondered where the cloves you used to cook with came from? Well, they come from clove trees! These evergreens are native to Indonesia and can grow as tall as a staggering 40 feet tall. While the average green thumb could try to grow a clove tree, this may be difficult as these trees need wet and tropical temperature to grow into their most ideal form. Once planted, these trees can live for as much as 300 years, producing their aromatic cloves for future generations of chefs!
Key Takeaways:
- The clove tree is native to Indonesia, but it has naturalized in many warm countries. These include Mexico, Kenya and Sri Lanka.
- It’s hard for most gardeners to replicate ideal clove tree growing conditions. The trees grow best in a hot and wet region.
- Cloves are used for cooking and medicinal purposes. In Indonesia, cloves are used to make popular clove aromatized cigarettes.
“Clove trees are not a short-term project. The trees regularly live a century and sometimes live for over 300 years. More pertinent to the average gardener, you’ll have to wait at least 20 years for the tree to produce a full crop.”
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/trees/clove-tree/clove-tree-information.htm