Clove Bud

Clove Bud Essential Oil

Eugenia caryophyllata or Syzgium aromaticum
Plant Part: Buds
Extraction Method: Steam
Aroma: Characteristic of fresh ground cloves, heady, rich creamy warm, sweet and
spicy
Aroma Strength: Medium to Strong
Description: Clove is derived from the tree Syzgium aromaticum. It is a slender
evergreen that grows up to 12 meters in height (approximately 36 feet). At the start of
the rainy season, long buds appear. They change color over time and are beaten from
the trees and dried. These are the cloves sold commercially.
History: The word clove comes from the Latin word clavus, meaning nail, since the
shaft and head of the clove bud resembles a nail. Cloves and nutmeg were among the
most precious of items of Europe of the 16th and 17th centuries, and they were worth
more than their weight in gold.
Color: Light Golden Yellow
Consistency: Medium
Note: Middle
Aromatic Scent: Clove Bud essential oil smells spicy and rich like actual cloves.
Qualities: Warming and stimulating. Ideal for a warming massage, ideal in a muscle
rub. This oil must be well diluted if used on the skin. Vaporize during winter months
when many people are suffering from colds and flu. Clove is a powerful antiseptic, a
1% solution is four times more effective than phenol, and may well be of use in
hospitals and other institutions where mutated bacteria are a problem. Used in
dentistry, toothpaste, beverages and soaps. Repels insects. Blends well with orange,
nutmeg and cinnamon.
A member of the Myrtaceae family, native to Indonesia, it is a slender evergreen tree
growing up to twelve metres high, it has bright green leaves standing in pairs on short
stems. At the start of the rainy season long buds appear with rosy-pink corolla at the
tip; as the corolla fades the calyx slowly turns deep red. These are beaten from the
tree, and when dried provide cloves which are sold as a spice, ground and whole.
Three types of oil are produced from the same tree; Clovebud, clove leaf and stem.
Leaf and stem oil should not be used in Aromatherapy.
Blends well with: other spice oils, Grapefruit, Lemon, Orange, Peppermint, and
Rosemary.
Cautions: Clove Bud oil can cause sensitization in some and should be used in
dilution. It should also be avoided during pregnancy.