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Guide
Short answer: whatever is native to where you live.
Native species are trees that evolved in your region. They are adapted to local rainfall, soil, temperature, and seasons. They have existing relationships with local insects, birds, and fungi. They survive at higher rates than commercial or imported species. They do more for local biodiversity.
If a nursery near you sells native species, start there.
Mangrove (Rhizophora spp.) — coastal areas. Extraordinary carbon storage, especially in soil. Protected status in many countries: check local rules before planting.
Mahoni / Mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) — tropical lowlands. Dense wood, high carbon storage per cubic meter.
Sengon (Falcataria moluccana) — fast-growing pioneer species. Good for degraded or deforested land.
Bambu / Bamboo — rapid growth, strong soil stabilization. Sequesters carbon in biomass and harvested material.
Neem (Azadirachta indica) — drought-resistant. Air quality benefits. Widely available.
Peepal / Sacred Fig (Ficus religiosa) — large canopy. Significant CO₂ absorption at maturity.
Mango (Mangifera indica) — fruit-bearing. Food production and carbon in a single tree.
Banyan (Ficus benghalensis) — extremely long-lived. High lifetime carbon accumulation.
Moringa (Moringa oleifera) — fast-growing. Nutritional value and soil improvement.
Acacia (various spp.) — nitrogen-fixing. Restores degraded and dry soils.
Shea (Vitellaria paradoxa) — food-producing. Slow-growing but long-lived. High community value.
Oak (Quercus spp.) — North America. High biodiversity value. Long-lived. Significant cumulative carbon.
Cecropia (Cecropia spp.) — South America. Pioneer species for degraded tropical land.
Maple (Acer spp.) — North America, temperate. Strong carbon storage in dense wood.
Olive (Olea europaea) — Mediterranean. Extremely long-lived. Cultural and ecological value.
Oak (Quercus spp.) — dominant across temperate Europe. Plant young, grow for centuries.
Cedar (Cedrus spp.) — Mediterranean highlands. Dense canopy. Significant wildlife habitat.
Eucalyptus in regions where it is not native. It is invasive in many ecosystems and depletes soil water.
If you plant an invasive species, your submission may be flagged by the community during verification. Always check local biodiversity guidelines before buying a sapling.
Different species absorb CO₂ at different rates. The registry uses 22 kg/year as a baseline with a 70% survival adjustment.
Tropical pioneer species in their first 10 years often absorb more than this. Long-lived temperate species accumulate more over their full lifetime.
We use a conservative baseline rather than an optimistic one.