Eden

Penang Botanic Gardens Plant Collection

Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry (MYRTACEAE)

Posted at — Nov 13, 2019
Clove, Cengkih

Description

Small tree, 8-20 m height, with bushy crown. Leaves 8-12 cm long, oppositely arranged, narrowly elliptic to oblanceolate. Flowers white or cream, mildly fragrant in forked clusters to 5 cm long. Fruits 2-2.8 cm long, oblong or obovoid, ripening bright red.

Ecology

Coastal forest in deep, well-drained sandy, acid loam soils.

Distribution

Moluccas.

Uses

One of the most valuable spices used in food preservation and for many medicinal purposes from historic times. The spice is from the dried unopened flowers.