Clove Magical Properties: More Than Just a Spicy Kitchen Staple

So I’ve been working with cloves in my practice for years now, and I gotta say they’re seriously UNDERRATED in the magical herb department! Everyone talks about rosemary and sage (which are great too, don’t get me wrong), but cloves deserve way more attention than they get.

I meant to post this like two weeks ago after I did this amazing orange and clove spell that worked surprisingly well, but you know how life gets. Anyway, better late than never!

What Are Cloves Anyway?

Cloves are these little dried flower buds that come from the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum if you want to get all scientific about it). They look kinda like tiny brown nails or tacks – which is actually where their name comes from! The word “clove” comes from the Latin “clavus” which means nail. Pretty fitting when you look at them.

They have this super intense, warm, aromatic smell that’s unmistakable. If you’ve ever had mulled wine or cider during winter holidays, you definitely know the scent I’m talking about. It’s warm and spicy and just… comforting?

Magical Properties of Cloves

Oh man, where do I even start with these little powerhouses? Cloves have SO many magical uses!!

• Protection: One of the strongest protective herbs out there. Seriously.
• Banishing: They drive away negative energy and spirits
• Money/Prosperity: They attract abundance (which we could all use more of, am I right?)
• Healing: Especially for toothaches, historically speaking
• Love: They’re great for attracting love and strengthening existing relationships

Cloves have this amazing ability to both attract positive things AND repel negative stuff. Not many herbs can do both jobs so well.

I’ve found they work best when combined with citrus – especially oranges. Which brings me to…

Spells With Oranges and Cloves

Ok so this is probably my favorite way to use cloves. There’s something almost magical about pushing those little spicy buds into a bright orange peel. The smell is INCREDIBLE and the combination is super powerful.

The classic pomander (that’s what those clove-studded oranges are called) has been used for centuries both as air fresheners and as magical tools. I make them every winter and hang them around the house.

Here’s my basic process:

1. Get a nice firm orange
2. Use a toothpick to poke holes in patterns (I like spirals or pentagrams but do whatever feels right)
3. Push whole cloves into each hole
4. Roll in a mixture of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and orris root powder (to help preserve it)
5. Tie with a pretty ribbon and hang to dry

Depending on what you want to use it for, you can focus on different intentions:

• For protection: visualize the cloves creating a barrier as you insert them
• For prosperity: arrange the cloves in money symbols or abundance patterns
• For love: make heart patterns with the cloves (cheesy but effective!)

I made one last winter when things were… well, not great financially, and within two weeks something unexpected happened and some money came through! Not saying it was definately the pomander, but the timing was pretty suspicious.

Oh! I almost forgot to mention – you can also use orange peels and cloves in mojo bags. Just dry some orange peel, add a few whole cloves, maybe some cinnamon stick pieces, and you’ve got a powerful little prosperity charm.

Cloves in Warm Wine and Drinks

So during winter I make this amazing spiced wine with cloves that’s both delicious AND magical. I won’t give you my whole recipe (maybe in another post?) but the basics are red wine, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and orange slices.

When I’m making it, I stir clockwise for drawing in good things and focus on what I want to attract. The warm spices are perfect for winter protection too, keeping away colds and negative vibes at the same time.

I’ve found that drinking this mindfully during the dark winter months helps keep my energy up and – wait, where was I going with this? Oh right, cloves in drinks. So anyway, they’re not just for solid spells, they work great in liquid form too!

Using Cloves in Witchcraft: My Personal Tips

I’ve been working with herbs for, I dunno, 8ish years now? Still learning every day though. Here are some things I’ve discovered about cloves through trial and error:

• They’re STRONG. Like, you don’t need a ton to get results
• They work fast compared to some other herbs
• They pair really well with cinnamon and orange for amplifying effects
• Ground cloves spread their energy quickly, whole cloves release it slowly
• They can be a bit “hot” energetically so balance with something cooling if needed

One time I made this protection sachet with way too many cloves and it was almost TOO effective – made the whole room feel kinda heavy and intense. Less is sometimes more with these powerful little guys.

Sourcing Quality Cloves

This might sound silly, but where you get your cloves matters a lot for magical work. The ones from regular grocery stores are fine for cooking but often they’ve been sitting on shelves forever and have lost a lot of their essential oils (which is where much of the magic happens).

I try to get mine from local spice shops or order from ethical suppliers online. The difference is huge – fresh cloves should be oily to the touch and have a really strong smell. If they’re dry and barely aromatic, they’re too old.

And alot of people don’t realize this, but cloves come from Madagascar and Indonesia primarily. They have a pretty complex colonial history actually… but that’s probably a topic for another day.

So that’s my clove download for you! I’m planning to experiment with some new clove and orange combinations this coming season. Maybe I’ll update with how they go if I remember (knowing me, fifty-fifty chance lol).

Anyway, hope this was helpful! Let me know if you try any of these or if you have your own clove magic to share. Back to my endless research rabbit holes…

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