Clove
It's a scent that goes hand in hand with Christmas.
Who remembers as a kid making oranges stuffed with cloves as decorations?
I'm not a huge fan of the smell of clove by itself but it does pack a huge punch in cooking and in energetics of essential oils. It also can slowly but surely kill mould spores.
There are many recipes out there for clove and mould removal, I like 1/4 teaspoon of clove bud essential oil (Syzygium aromaticum) to 1 litre of water. Shake and spray on affected surface. It can take numerous sprays before all the spores are killed.
Syzygium aromaticum and clove drying process
Clove trees botanical name is Syzygium aromaticum. In the past it's gone under a few different botanical names like Eugenia caryophyllata. Botanical names can change due to many factors the first reason is research. New scientific insights about relationships sometimes lead to changes in classification of plant groups.
Clove trees being a Syzgium are related to our native Lilly Pillys. Clove are native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, but they have naturalised in many warm countries including Mexico, Kenya and Sri Lanka.
Did you know that clove comes from the Latin word 'clavus', which means nail because cloves look like little nails! It has been in cultivation since 200BC! I love history information like this.
Clove trees are evergreens that grow to around 15m tall. They have smooth grey bark and long leaves that look like bay leaves. The flower buds initially have a pale hue, gradually turn green, then transition to a bright red when ready for harvest. Cloves are like the outside of the flower. The entire plant is fragrant and aromatic.
Clove trees grow best in a hot and wet conditions. So they usually aren't available in the Ipswich region. They can be grown up north. If you were able to acquire a clove tree it would need a ready supply of water and protection from the cold when young.
Cloves have a long history in food and many cultures have made it a yummy addition to many national dishes. It has also been used to flavour cigarettes and potpourri.
Cloves have also been used in tradional Chinese medicine and Indian Ayurvedic medicine for centuries.
Aromatherapists have used clove to help open our hearts to the beauty of possibilities. It helps us release emotional clutter that is controlling our lives. It helps us release the ties and attachments to material things and ideals about how our lives should be lived. It gives us an inner strength to move forward when we know we need to change.
Now is a great time is a great time to reflect and clean out the clutter that is holding us here - emotionally and physically.
I hope we can all be open to change and start to find simple pleasures in life and release the need to control things!!