Tree clove: description, photo, distribution, properties

The clove tree is scientifically called Syzýgium aromáticum, in other words, the syzygium is fragrant (fragrant).

The plant comes from the Moluccas Islands, from Indonesia. It is mainly grown in South-East Asia, including India and Malaysia, on the islands of the Indian Ocean, on the east coast of Africa and in Brazil. In the 19th century, thanks to the progressive activities of the Sultan of Zanzibar, the carnation tree was cultivated on the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba. In these regions, the extraction of raw materials from the plant has reached such an impressive commercial speed that the islands were nicknamed "clove".

The most famous for the tree brought his buds, from which spices are made, widely used in cooking and food industry. No less famous is essential oil, it is clove, which has outstanding medicinal properties and is used in pharmacology, cosmetics and perfumes. It is contained in the whole tree, but its main kidney remains the main supplier. Oil is famous for its antiseptic and analgesic properties, and spice is loved for stimulating the digestive system and stimulating appetite.

Botanical characteristics

The clove tree belongs to the genus Sigizium of the Myrtov family, which consists of nearly a thousand species of evergreen tropical trees and shrubs.

What does a carnation look like? You can see her photo in the article. The plant is distinguished by a smooth bark of gray color and a lush pyramidal crown. The trunk is thin, strongly branching. Height varies from 8 to 15 meters, on average - about 12 m. Leaves are leathery, dark green, shiny and long - about 15 cm long. In the upper part of them glands are glimpsed. Flowers are snow-white or pinkish, collected in inflorescences. Fruits - berries of red color, round shape. The clove tree lives for about a century.

Historical essay

Sizigium fragrant is known since ancient times. His buds were considered an important part of the ceremonial at the court of the Chinese emperor. About cloves knew in Egypt, in Greece, even in Rome. It was revered as a medicine for freshening breath and against toothache. Antique doctors used cloves for medicinal purposes, and this tradition continued into the Middle Ages. Medieval physicians inscribed it into recipes from migraines, colds and believed in it as a remedy for the plague. In the XX century, essential oil was used for the first time in the disinfection of hands during surgical operations.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Europe for a long time plunged into the darkness of the centuries and forgot about spices safely. Crusaders re-opened cloves to Europeans during the campaigns. But for a very long time Europeans could only speculate about the homeland of the clove tree. The spice was brought to them by Arab sailors. Most likely, the first European, who saw the plant "live", was the famous pilgrim Marco Polo.

At the turn of the XV-XVI centuries, Vasco da Gama paved the way to India and returned home with ships stuffed with carnations. A few years later, a powerful Portuguese fleet reached Calicut, and after a while - to the Maluku Islands. The clove tree was revered as a rare, expensive commodity, and the Portuguese wanted to monopolize it. They guarded the islands as watchdogs, not letting anyone but themselves, and not allowing trees to grow anywhere except Ambon Island. Trees that grew in other places, they mercilessly destroyed.

The main rivals of the Portuguese were the Dutch, and in the end the latter were able to win the Moluccas. They introduced an even more cruel regime, arranging raids on the "dubious", in their opinion, the local population. For the export of seeds you could pay a head. But this state of affairs did not last long. In 1769, the French secretly entered the island and disappeared from it with secret seeds. The clove tree was successfully cultivated in the French possessions, and since then the spice has spread all over the world, and its cost has gone down.

Chemical composition

The most useful part of syzygium is the kidneys. This is due to their chemical composition:

• High level of essential oil - more than 20%. It includes eugenol, acetyl eugenol, and caryophyllene.
• The same amount of tannins.
• Vitamins A, B, C and K.
• A lot of minerals, including potassium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and magnesium.

Clove tree: cultivation

Cultivation of cloves is not considered difficult. It grows in a tropical climate. Plant it on the plantations, at a sufficiently large distance from each other - about 6 meters. Fruiting starts at 6, but the most abundant harvests are harvested from a tree of 20 years to half a century. Blossoms twice a year.

Harvesting

During the harvest, the plantations begin to resemble anthills. A large number of people are being equipped with sticks and hooks to pull up the upper branches. Usually, fruits are harvested in two steps - from the beginning of autumn to the beginning of winter and from January to the middle of spring. Cut unbroken buds - only from them are obtained first-class spices, with blossoming buds, the quality is almost halved.

Harvesting

Harvest is sorted and processed, manually removing pedicels. Then leave to dry in the sun for four days or send to a special oven for drying. After such a procedure buds of clove tree brown and become brittle, but after a while gradually restore the former elasticity due to the accumulation of oil. The dried bud resembles carnations - and the name of the plant was invented.

After a long storage of spicery, the essential oil leaves it, so you can determine the quality of the product. Signs of a good carnation: oiliness and flexibility. The amount of oil can be checked by throwing a bud in the water: the secret is that once the oil is heavier than water, the best kidney will and will stay upright. If it lies horizontally, there is less use for it.

What part of the clove tree becomes spice? The spices are dried buds and ground fruits.

Clove oil: both the reader and the reaper

Clove wood oil is produced by hydro- or steam distillation during the day. Make it from all its parts - from buds, branches, leaves and roots.

High-grade oil is obtained only from the kidneys. It is transparent, often completely colorless or pale yellowish in color. Over time, it "grows old" - browns, and even blushes. Useful properties retain for five years. The aroma is unforgettable - tart, spicy, with fruity notes and a burning woody aftertaste. The oil obtained from the fruit before ripening will be almost indistinguishable from the oil from the kidneys.

The product from the recycled leaves, branches and roots is much cheaper, but not so high quality. First, it lacks acetyl-eugenol, secondly, it is more allergenic, and thirdly, its smell seriously suffers - it seems insipid, uninteresting, even unpleasant. Brown color.

Fake clove oil is prepared using these products. Its application can have the most unfortunate consequences.

Carnation, the photo of which you see in the article, is a well-known ingredient in medicinal and cosmetic preparations. It is used in folk medicine, perfumery, soap making, in cooking and as an aphrodisiac. Cloves are flavored with chewing gums, and in Indonesia - cigarettes.

Application in medicine

The wide use of cloves in medicine - official and folk - is justified by the presence of Evening in its composition. Some of the useful properties of the plant:

• Stimulation of digestion, fight against flatulence, gastritis, stomach upset, nausea and intestinal infections.
• True glory oil acquired for its antibacterial properties, it works great against tubercle bacilli; And the extract from flowers perfectly showed itself against anthrax, cholera, plague and flu.
• Strengthening the immune system.
• Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. Clove oil copes with wounds, bruises, burns.
• It is used for toothache, tooth decay, inflammation of the gums. Carnation is a part of many oral care products.
• As in the Middle Ages, the plant is used as a remedy for headaches and migraine headaches.
• He treats skin problems - warts, acne, boils and scabies.
• Calms muscle spasms.
• It struggles with female ailments, such as infertility and delay or excessively long periods of the menstrual cycle.
• Thanks to the beneficial effects on the emotional state, it can be used to calm nervousness, especially after surgery.

Application in cosmetology

Essential oil of syzygium is used in cosmetology in unsurpassed by the number of scales. It is added to face masks to increase skin tone, add elasticity and prevent early aging. Cosmeticians are advised to apply it to people with oily skin - the oil slightly dehydrates the skin. Carnation is a part of many spirits.

Contraindications

Clove oil is very saturated, its use in large quantities in undiluted form threatens skin irritations, in such cases take tiny doses. Most often it is diluted with ordinary vegetable oil.

Carnation is not recommended during pregnancy because of the effects on hormones.

In cooking: spices

Dried unblown buds of clove tree are world famous spices. They are added entirely or in the ground form. Carnation (spice) is widely used in food production, including sausage, confectionery shops and wine and vodka production.

Most often, cloves are used in marinating and canning products, it is laid in jam and compotes. In small quantities add to hot alcoholic drinks: punch, grog, mulled wine. And also in meat and fish dishes, in porridges, in broths, in sweet desserts, beginning with confectionery products and ending with all sorts of mousses, puddings.

Carnation is a spice, the feature of which is not only in burning taste, but also in the original, deep scent. It is so strong that it is easily able to drown out the smell of other foods. For this reason, the spice is added dosed. Carnation cloves because of a fair share of aromatic substances are put in sweets, and bitter petioles - in marinade.

At high temperatures, the taste of cloves is increased to intolerance. In order not to spoil the food, put the cloves as late as possible: the time of the bookmark differs depending on the dish, except marinades - here it is added immediately together with the rest of the ingredients.

Carnation symbolizes love. And this spice is really loved all over the world, it was extolled even before our era. The spices and oil that it gives us, have firmly entered everyday life. Aroma oils, perfumes, food additives, medicines. It is unbelievable that a single plant has such pleasant qualities.