Whole cloves are the unpeeled buds of a species of flowering plant in the family Myrtaceae. The plants they come from are native to Indonesia and Malaysia. Cloves are used as a spice in cuisines all over the world. Garlic cloves, on the other hand, are the edible bulbs of a species in the same plant family. These plants are native to central Asia. Garlic is a key ingredient in many savory dishes.