Teak (Tectona grandis): Growth, Allometry and Carbon Potential

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

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

Teak stores a moderate amount of carbon per tree each year, but its value for carbon projects comes from long rotations and dense, durable wood that keeps carbon in the stem for decades. In Indonesia, teak is the best-known plantation timber, so most carbon questions are about rotation length and harvest.

Identity and range

Teak (Tectona grandis) is in the mint family, Lamiaceae. In Indonesia it is called jati. Improved fast-growing selections are sold under names such as jati unggul, jati super or jati plus.

Teak is native to India, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. It has been grown in Java for several centuries, and some historians treat Javanese teak as an ancient introduction. The largest stands are state teak forests in Central Java and East Java, managed by the state forestry company. Teak is also planted in Southeast Sulawesi (notably Muna), Nusa Tenggara, Lampung and by smallholders across the dry-season regions of the archipelago.

Growth habit and rotation

Teak is a large deciduous tree that drops its leaves in the dry season. It needs full light, deep well-drained soils and a distinct dry season to produce high-quality wood. It grows poorly on waterlogged, acidic or very shallow soils.

Rotation length is the biggest variable. Traditional state teak in Java was managed on long rotations of many decades. Improved clones and smallholder stands are often harvested after roughly 15 to 20 years, and some farmers sell even earlier. Reported growth rates vary widely with site, genetics and thinning. Use local plot data for forecasts.

Wood density and biomass estimation

Teak wood is moderately dense. Reported basic density values fall roughly between 0.50 and 0.65 g/cm³. Fast-grown young trees often have lower density and less heartwood than old trees. Record your wood density source and state the range, because it varies with site and age.

The default above-ground biomass model is Chave et al. 2014:

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

with ρ in g/cm³, D (DBH) in cm and H in m. Many species-specific teak equations exist from plantations in Asia, Africa and Latin America, including studies in Java. Use one only if its sample covers your age, diameter and site range. The allometric equations guide explains how to test fit with destructive or plot data.

Biomass converts to carbon with a carbon fraction (IPCC default 0.47) and to CO2 by multiplying by 44/12. Below-ground biomass uses a root-to-shoot ratio.

Carbon role in ARR and agroforestry

Teak suits:

• Dry-season ARR in Java, Nusa Tenggara and Sulawesi, where few other timber species perform as well.
• Smallholder woodlots and boundary planting, aggregated into grouped projects.
• Taungya-style agroforestry, where farmers grow annual crops between young teak rows until the canopy closes.

Under VM0047, harvested systems are credited up to the long-term average carbon stock. Long teak rotations raise that average, while short rotations of improved clones lower it. Model both scenarios before choosing. The ARR hub explains how this fits project design.

Co-benefits and livelihoods

Teak is a high-value timber with a strong domestic and export market, so smallholders treat it as a long-term savings asset. Leaves are used for wrapping food and dye in some areas. Well-managed teak with understorey crops supports year-round income.

Risks and cautions

• Harvest and permanence. Teak is planted to be cut. Assume harvest, and include it in your non-permanence risk analysis.
• Fire. Deciduous teak drops dry leaves in the dry season, which raises ground-fire risk. Fire also damages bark and stems.
• Soil erosion. Under pure teak, the bare forest floor in the dry season can erode on slopes.
• Pests. Teak defoliator caterpillars and termites can damage stands.
• Monoculture and low biodiversity. Pure teak supports less biodiversity than mixed plantings. Mixing teak with native species improves co-benefits.
• EUDR and legality. Teak timber and furniture exported to the EU fall under EUDR wood rules.

Planning notes for project developers

• Separate genetics. Stratify by seed source or clone, because improved teak grows very differently from local seed.
• Model thinning. Teak is thinned several times; record removals in monitoring.
• Use EUDR data twice. Plot polygons and legality documents gathered for EUDR can support the carbon project.

Worked example

A teak tree with DBH 30 cm, height 20 m and wood density 0.58 g/cm³:

1. ρ × D² × H = 0.58 × 900 × 20 = 10,440
2. AGB = 0.0673 × 10,440^0.976 ≈ 563 kg
3. Carbon = 563 × 0.47 ≈ 265 kg C
4. CO2e = 265 × 44/12 ≈ 970 kg CO2e (above-ground only)

Try your own measurements in the tree CO2 calculator.