🌶️ Clove
Syzygium aromaticum
spices
evergreen tree
Myrtaceae
☀️ Sun
partial shade to full sun
💧 Water
high
🗺️ Zones
[11,12]
🧪 Soil pH
5.5-7.0
🪴 Soil Type
rich, well-drained, loamy
🚿 Drainage
Well-drained
📏 Spacing
20-25 ft
📐 Height
25-50 ft
⏱️ Maturity
5-7 years to first harvest; productive 50+ years
Key:🤝 Grows well together❌ Keep apart☀️ Sun needs💧 Water🗺️ Hardiness zone
🤝 Companions (9)
Shade for young clove trees
Traditional overstory in mixed tropical spice gardens of Indonesia
Dynamic accumulator
Universal companion
Traditional Spice Island companions , same climate
⚠️ Keep Apart (2)
Juglone sensitive
📝 Growing Notes
Cloves are unopened flower buds , hand-picked just before pink petals emerge, then sun-dried until brown. A single tree produces for 50-70 years. Native to Indonesia's Spice Islands (Maluku). Triggered European colonial spice wars.
🛒 Buy Seeds & Plants
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
Johnny's Selected Seeds
Botanical Interests
True Leaf Market
Burpee
Territorial Seed Company
Plot Buddies is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our plant recommendations. We only link to retailers we trust.