Jabon (Neolamarckia cadamba): Growth, Allometry and Carbon Potential

Updated 2026-11-02 · 4 min read · By the akar.earth specialist team

Jabon carbon sequestration in Indonesia: ecology, rotation, wood density range, allometry with Chave 2014, ARR role, harvest and permanence risks.

Jabon is a fast-growing native pioneer that builds biomass quickly, which makes it attractive for early carbon gains in Indonesian reforestation and smallholder woodlots. Its carbon value depends on medium-low wood density, a short harvest cycle and how the project treats harvest under its methodology.

Identity and range

Jabon (Neolamarckia cadamba, syn. Anthocephalus cadamba and A. chinensis) belongs to the coffee family, Rubiaceae. In Indonesia it is called jabon, jabon putih, kelempayan or laran in different regions. In South Asia it is known as kadam. Do not confuse it with jabon merah (Anthocephalus macrophyllus), a related species native to Sulawesi and Maluku.

Jabon is native across South and Southeast Asia, including Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java and Sulawesi. It colonises riverbanks, logged forest and clearings. Plantations and smallholder stands are found in Java, South Kalimantan, Sumatra and Sulawesi, supplying plywood, light construction timber and pulp.

Growth habit and rotation

Jabon has a straight, cylindrical stem and tiered branches that self-prune well, which is why it is popular for veneer. It needs full light and grows poorly under shade. It tolerates periodic flooding better than many plantation species, which suits riverine and lowland sites.

Smallholders and companies usually harvest jabon at around 5 to 10 years, depending on the target product. Reported diameter and height growth rates vary widely with soil, spacing and seed source. Reported ranges vary, so we recommend using measured plot data for any forecast rather than a generic increment.

Wood density and biomass estimation

Jabon wood is light to moderately light. Reported basic density values sit roughly between 0.35 and 0.50 g/cm³. Like all wood density values, this varies with site, age and growth rate, and juvenile wood from fast-grown trees often sits at the low end.

The standard approach for above-ground biomass is 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. Some Indonesian studies have published species-specific equations for jabon plantations, usually as a power function of DBH. These can be more accurate within their sampled range, but check the age, site and diameter range of the source before applying them. Our allometric equations guide explains how to choose between generic and species-specific models.

Convert biomass to carbon with a carbon fraction (IPCC default 0.47) and to CO2 with the ratio 44/12. Add roots with a root-to-shoot ratio accepted by your methodology.

Carbon role in ARR and agroforestry

Jabon suits:

• Degraded lowland sites where a native pioneer can quickly close the canopy and suppress grass, which reduces fire risk.
• Mixed plantings as a nurse species that is later thinned to release slower natives.
• Smallholder woodlots in ARR grouped projects, where farmers want a timber income alongside carbon.

Being native helps with biodiversity safeguards and some standards’ preference for native species. But if trees are harvested, crediting under VM0047 is limited to the long-term average carbon stock across the rotation, not the peak before felling. Check the current version for how the long-term average is calculated.

Co-benefits and livelihoods

Jabon gives farmers a short cash cycle with established buyers. Its flowers attract pollinators, and in parts of Asia the fruit and leaves have traditional uses. As a native tree, it can be part of a restoration mosaic that reconnects riparian forest.

Risks and cautions

• Harvest cycles. Frequent felling caps creditable stock. Model rotation length honestly and include harvest in the permanence assessment.
• Pests. Leaf-eating caterpillars and stem borers can defoliate or damage young stands.
• Shade intolerance. Underplanted jabon fails, so it must be sited in open conditions.
• Monoculture. Single-species blocks raise disease and market risk and offer fewer co-benefits.
• Site mismatch. On poor, compacted or very dry soils growth drops sharply, and models built on good-site data will overestimate.

Planning notes for project developers

• Use local growth data. Measure trial plots at 1, 2 and 3 years before scaling up, since site differences are large.
• Riverine sites. Jabon’s flood tolerance suits riparian restoration, but check land eligibility and ownership along rivers.
• Plan thinning. If jabon is a nurse tree, schedule thinning and record removals in the monitoring plan.

Worked example

A jabon tree at harvest age with DBH 25 cm, height 18 m and wood density 0.42 g/cm³:

1. ρ × D² × H = 0.42 × 625 × 18 = 4,725
2. AGB = 0.0673 × 4,725^0.976 ≈ 260 kg
3. Carbon = 260 × 0.47 ≈ 122 kg C
4. CO2e = 122 × 44/12 ≈ 447 kg CO2e (above-ground only)

Compare this with a sengon tree of the same size: the higher wood density gives jabon roughly a quarter more biomass. Try other sizes in the tree CO2 calculator, and see species selection for ARR for how jabon compares with other options.