Cloves are the buds of the Syzygium aromaticum tree. They are very widely grown and farmed in Sri Lanka very successfully. Whilst the harvesting of this spice is extremely labour intensive, it adds to its uniqueness and value.

They have a sweet, slightly bitter taste and are highly fragrant. Cloves are commonly used as a spice in cooking and baking. They have also been used as a natural remedy in Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese traditional medicines for thousands of years.

Cloves are particularly high in the compound eugenol, which makes up between 70% to 90% of clove essential oil. Eugenol has been shown to have potent anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and pain-relieving properties.

Consumption of Clove has been known to improve neurological problems and cloves and clove essential oils are commonly used in Oral care products the world over.