Growing A Clove Tree Indoors Requires Commitment, But Can Be Worth The Effort

Cloves are a common pantry spice featured in sweet and savory recipes, used to brew a warming tea, or even help relieve various ailments. But did you know that clove trees make an attractive house plant that you can grow in a pot, even indoors? Clove trees are evergreen, with attractive glossy leaves and a marvelous scent that make them one of the best mosquito-repellent plants to grow on patios or inside the home, but they require the right conditions to thrive. 

If you can meet their growing requirements, you might even be able to harvest the spice for use in cooking or to keep bugs away from the kitchen. However, just like when growing other tropical edibles such as avocados, you will need a lot of patience as clove trees will take six to 10 years to start blossoming, and another four to six months until you can harvest the flower buds for the spice crop. 

You need to start with a healthy seedling from a reputable nursery; store-bought cloves are flowers, not seeds, so they won't germinate — these are better left to add depth to your next stew. If you know someone who has a clove tree, you can also source a cutting and propagate that way. Plant your seedling in a wide container that's around 15 to 18 inches deep, with good-quality and well-draining potting soil mixed with an equal part of organic compost. Since clove trees produce male and female flowers on the same plant, you likely won't face the common issue that plagues indoor fruit tree growers; but it's still important to follow long-term care instructions to keep your clove tree happy.

Cloves are native to the hot and humid rainforests of Indonesia, so you must recreate those climatic conditions as closely as possible if your aim is to harvest this warming spice. Your clove tree will need six to eight hours of sunlight a day, and will do well with indirect light when grown outdoors. Indoors, they prefer moderate sunlight, ideally placed by a south- or west-facing window. You should also keep temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and preferably, between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Clove trees like moist soil but not soggy, so water only when the upper layers of soil feel dry. That said, they require high humidity, so experts recommend using a humidity dome or a gravel watering tray, and misting the plant early in the morning or late at night. If you're growing your clove tree in the patio, grouping pots close to each other can help to boost humidity. Just be sure to bring it inside when temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Clove trees can grow up to 30 feet, but in a pot they will stay smaller. Since they are slow growers, you also won't need to heavily prune your tree, except to keep it in a neat shape and size. So, if you love a little challenge and the idea of a statement plant that will spark conversation, the rewards of growing a clove tree will certainly pay off in the long run when you harvest your first crop.