Allometry determines how tree shape and function scale with each other, related through size. Allometric relationships help scale processes from individual to global scale, and they constitute a core component of vegetation models. Allometric relationships have been expected to emerge from optimization theory, yet this does not suitably predict empirical data. Here we argue that the fusion of high-resolution data, such as those derived from airborne laser scanning, with individual-based forest modelling offers insight into how plant size contributes to large scale biogeochemical processes. We review the challenges in allometric scaling, how they can be tackled by advances in data-model fusion, and how individual-based models can serve as data integrators for dynamic global vegetation models.