Clove (Syzygium aromaticum): Growth, Allometry and Carbon Potential

Updated 2026-11-02 · 3 min read · By the akar.earth specialist team

Clove carbon sequestration in Indonesia: Maluku origin, long productive life, wood density, allometry, agroforestry role, disease and price risks.

Clove trees store carbon steadily over a productive life of several decades, and because only the flower buds are harvested, the tree and its carbon stay in place. In Indonesia, where most of the world’s cloves are grown and consumed, clove gardens are a durable base for smallholder agroforestry carbon.

Identity and range

Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. In Indonesia it is called cengkeh. The spice is the dried unopened flower bud.

Clove is native to the northern Maluku islands, notably Ternate, Tidore, Moti, Makian and Bacan in North Maluku. It was the centre of the historic spice trade. Today Indonesia is the world’s largest producer and consumer, mainly because cloves are blended into kretek cigarettes. Major producing provinces include North Sulawesi, Maluku, North Maluku, Central Java, East Java, South Sulawesi and Bali. Most growers are smallholders.

Growth habit and rotation

Clove is an evergreen tree, usually 8 to 15 m tall, with a conical crown and glossy aromatic leaves. It needs a humid tropical climate, deep well-drained soils and some protection from strong wind. It is grown from sea level to mid elevations.

Trees usually begin producing after about 5 to 7 years and can continue for many decades. Yields swing strongly between years. Harvest involves picking bud clusters by hand from ladders or branches; trees are not felled. Reported growth rates vary by site and management.

Wood density and biomass estimation

Syzygium wood is generally moderately dense to dense. A range of roughly 0.6 to 0.8 g/cm³ is a reasonable starting point for clove, but species-level data are limited. Measure locally where possible, or use a cited database value and state the uncertainty. Wood density varies with site and age.

Use the Chave et al. 2014 pantropical model:

AGB (kg) = 0.0673 × (ρ × D² × H)^0.976

with ρ in g/cm³, D (DBH) in cm and H in m. We are not aware of a widely used clove-specific equation. Clove trees often branch low; measure diameter at the standard height where possible and record any deviation. See the allometric equations guide.

Convert to carbon with the IPCC default 0.47 and to CO2 with 44/12.

Carbon role in ARR and agroforestry

• Long-lived tree crop. Because clove trees are kept for decades and harvested without felling, they suit agroforestry and ARR projects that need durable stock under VM0047.
• Spice gardens. Clove is traditionally mixed with nutmeg, coconut, candlenut, fruit trees and native forest trees in Maluku and North Sulawesi, building multi-strata carbon stocks.
• Rehabilitation of old gardens. Replanting gaps left by dead trees with clove and companion species can add carbon on eligible land.

Co-benefits and livelihoods

Clove is an important cash crop in eastern Indonesia, with a large domestic market from the kretek industry. Clove oil from leaves and stems is distilled for flavour, medicine and dentistry. Mixed spice gardens support biodiversity and cultural heritage in Maluku.

Risks and cautions

• Disease. A bacterial wilt known as Sumatra disease of clove has killed many trees in Sumatra and Java. Other wilt and dieback diseases also occur. Mixed planting and sanitation reduce spread.
• Price swings. Clove prices are volatile and tied to the tobacco industry and regulation. Low prices lead to neglect.
• Harvest damage. Breaking branches during picking reduces growth and future yields.
• Biennial yields. Strong year-to-year swings in harvest affect farmer income and motivation.
• Wind. Exposed sites suffer wind damage.

Planning notes for project developers

• Inventory old gardens. Many clove gardens are decades old; their existing stock is part of the baseline, so credits come only from new planting and growth.
• Replace dead trees. Gap planting after disease losses is one of the cheapest ways to add carbon in existing gardens.
• Group smallholders. Clove gardens are small, so projects usually aggregate many farmers; see smallholder ARR aggregation.

Worked example

A clove tree with DBH 20 cm, height 10 m and an assumed density of 0.70 g/cm³:

1. ρ × D² × H = 0.70 × 400 × 10 = 2,800
2. AGB = 0.0673 × 2,800^0.976 ≈ 156 kg
3. Carbon = 156 × 0.47 ≈ 73 kg C
4. CO2e = 73 × 44/12 ≈ 268 kg CO2e (above-ground only)

Rerun this with 0.6 and 0.8 g/cm³ in the tree CO2 calculator to see the effect of density uncertainty.