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'''The clove tree, botanically named ''Syzygium aromaticum L.'', originates from Maluku Island is a member of the ''Myrtaceae'' family of evergreen trees, which typically grows in Indonesiaa humid tropical climate below 300m where there is no noticeable dry season. Clove was imported to Europe already While clove farming has existed in the 7th century. Upon discovery of Maluku Island by the PortugeseMadagascar since 1820, the clove trade became monopolised by the Portugese until they were driven out by the Dutch a number one cash-crop in the early 17th century. The trade was thereafter controlled by the Dutch until Pierre Poivre smuggled seedlings of the clove tree out of the country while organising several expeditions on behalf of the French East India Company. Clove were consequently brought 1990, providing an important contribution for Malagasy households, allowing farmers to Mauritius supplement their income during shortfalls in 1770 and thereafter to La Reunion island. The first plants appeared in Madagascar on Sainte Marie island in the 1820sfood production.'''
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In less than a century, the clove tree was adopted by Malagasy farmers who quickly gained expertise in its cultivation and valorisation. In Madagascar, clove trees are grown for both purposes of clove spice and clove oil production. Farmers can produce clove spice from the flower buds or essential oil from the leaves, or alternate seasonally between the two. Clove oil is produced by hydrodistillation of the leaves, although essential oils derived from the clove bud and stem produce the highest yield.
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By 1920/1930 Madagascar became a major producer and exporter of cloves and clove essential oil and is since the 1990s the world's leading exporter.
Clove production span along the entire east coast of Madagascar from Sambava to Fort Dauphin and especially between throughout the an area known as Analanjirofo (Malagasy for "clove-forest"), which makes up part of the Toamasina Province, incluiding including [[Tamatave]], [[Sainte Marie|Sainte Marie Island]] island (Île Sainte-Marie), [[Mananara]] and [[Fenoarivo Atsinanana]] (Fénérive or Fénérive-Est), and the [[Soanierana Ivongo]] district. About 90% of todayMadagascar's clove production is concentrated around Mananara, Soanierana Ivongo and Fénérive Est.
The clove tree, a member of the ''grows well in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtaceae MyrtaceaeFerrallitisation ferralitic]tropical soil and usually gets between 10 and 12 metres but can get as tall as 20 metres. [[File:Madagascar_Cloves_017.jpg|thumb|300px|left|Syzygium aromaticum]] The plant flowers for the first time after 8-10 years and the trees are fully flowering at around 20 years. Cloves are the nail-like spikes which are unopened flower-buds. The name derives from the Latin word ''clavus'' family , meaning nail. Branches of clustered flower-buds are removed from the stems, then handpicked and sun-dried. Clove harvesting in Madagascar takes place between October and March.<!-- fact-check--> Clove has a variety of evergreen treesculinary and non-culinary uses. As a spice, which typically grows cloves are used in humid tropical climate below 300m where there is no noticeable dry seasoncurries, spicy fruitcakes, sauerkraut and a wide range of cuisines as well as beverages such as red wines.
Clove 's main ingredient, eugenol, is have a variety of culinary and nonbioactive compound with anti-bacterial, fungicide, antiseptic, antioxidant, anaesthetic, analgesic, anti-culinary usesinflammatory effects. As a spice, cloves are It is furthermore used in curriesaromatherapy and various traditional, spicy fruit cakes, sauerkraut human and a wide range of cuisines as well as beveragesveterinary medicines including dentistry, such as re widetoothpaste...
== Additional information ==
View all [[Madagascar Cloves photos]]
* https://www.madagascarspices.com/cloves.html
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrtaceae
* https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-251/clove
* [https://www.madagascarspices.com/admin/images/Danthuetal2014BFT.pdf The clove tree of Madagascar: A success story with an unpredictable future] - article in ''Bois et Forets des Tropiques'', January 2014
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clove
* http://www.idaromatic.com/cloves.htm
* https://www.importpromotiondesk.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Publikationen/factsheet/zutaten/cloves-in-germany.pdf
* https://www.ako-spice.com/cloves-a-big-thank-you-pierre-poivre/