Do you love the enchanting aroma of cloves in your cakes or mulled wine? What if you could grow them at home? Even though this spice from Indonesia evokes tropical beaches, there are now simple tips to cultivate it yourself—with a little patience and a great deal of satisfaction as a reward.
Where do cloves come from?
Before getting into the practical details, a brief botanical detour. The clove is actually the dried flower bud of an evergreen tree called the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum), native to the Moluccas (Spice Islands) of Indonesia. These small buds are harvested before they bloom, then dried to become the intense, warm spice we use in our dishes, infusions, and winter desserts.
Long reserved for tropical regions, the clove tree can now be grown at home—provided you recreate conditions similar to its native climate.
Creating the ideal conditions
The clove tree is delicate and loves warmth and humidity. To help it thrive, follow these golden rules:
-
Temperature: It prefers stable, gentle warmth between 20°C and 30°C (68–86°F). Cold is its worst enemy, so in temperate regions it’s best grown indoors or in a greenhouse.
-
Light: At first, choose soft or indirect light; young plants dislike direct sunlight. As they grow, they can handle more brightness.
-
Humidity: The clove tree loves humid air. If your indoor air is dry, a mister or a tray of water near the pot works wonders.
-
Soil: Choose deep, light soil rich in organic matter and slightly acidic (pH 5.5–6.5). A mix of potting soil, coconut fiber, and fine sand is ideal.
Finding the right seeds (and avoiding the classic mistake)
Be careful: dried cloves sold in stores cannot germinate. To succeed, you need fresh seeds taken directly from the fruit of the clove tree.
You have two options:
-
Buy seeds from a supplier specializing in tropical plants.
-
Or collect fresh fruit from an existing clove tree (if you’re lucky!), and use them immediately—their germination power lasts only a few days.
Germination steps
see continuation on next page
ADVERTISEMENT
