Cloves are unopened flower buds of a tropical tree. They are rust brown
in colour and give a pungent aromatic flavor to cuisines.
It is added while cooking. It also makes an important ingredient to Indian
condiment.
It is an evergreen tree which grows to a height of 10-20 m. Its leaves
are oval and bearing crimson flowers in clusters.
The flower buds are of pale colour and gradually become green and at last
at the time of collection they bear bright red colour.
When cloves are harvested they are 1-1.5 cm long with a head of unopened
petal.
