The Ohi'a lehua is a tree native to the Hawaiian Islands.

Ohi'a is one of the most common and widespread large trees of Hawaii, and grows in the higher elevation areas of Kaua'i, Maui, Hawai'i and O'ahu.

Varieties of this tree can be found from the upland bog forests of Kauai all the way to sea level.

The plant is extremely variable and ranges from a low shrub to towering trees. A large Ohi'a can be over 80 feet in height and more than 3 feet in diameter.

Did you know that a type of Ohi'a lehua (Metrosideros excelsus ) grows in New Zealand?

A New Zealand Relative

New Zealand has many native plants and animal species that are samiliar with Hawai'i such as the native land snails. New Zealand also has a native Ohi'a Lehua which they call "pohutukawa". It has big clusters of vivid scarlet flowers that appear in december which hences another name for this tree, "christmas" tree. The variety "Aurea" has yellow flowers.

Did you know that Ohi'a lehua is a close relative of the eucalyptus and guava (Myrtacae)?

Colorful Flower Power  

The ohi'a lehua comes in many colors and variations. The delicate blossoms come in orange, pink, red, salmon,white, and yellow varieties.

Red is the most common color, so many native birds have evolved to have red coloration. This is an endemic 'apapane (Himatione sanguinea) feeding on the lehua blossoms.

photo by Jack Jeffrey

Ancient legends say that if you pick the lehua blossoms, Pele will cast rain down on you.

Save Our Ohi'a Trees!

One of the greatest threats to the native ohi'a forests is a non-native tree call Myrica faya. It is native to the Azores and is well adapted to Hawaii's climate and volcanic soils.

Non-native birds eat the faya tree seeds and later drop them as they sit in ohi'a trees.

Once the faya tree sprouts, it grows more rapidly than the ohi'a, and finally engulfs and kills it.

Did you know that ohi'a is one of the first plants to reinhabit a place overrun by lava?