Metrosideros polymorpha

Common Names

ʻŌhiʻa Lehua, Lehua, Ohia Lehua, Ohia, Ōhiʻa

Summary

ōhiʻa lehua is a native Hawaiian evergreen that ranges from prostrate shrubs to tall trees typically 20–30 m tall, from near sea level to about 2,600 m elevation and often first colonizing new lava flows. It features crowded, leathery dark green leaves with variable shapes, pale green–pink–red leaf buds (liko), and showy powder-puff flowers with many long stamens colored red, orange, yellow, pink, or salmon. The bark is smooth when young and becomes rough and fissured with age; seeds are wind-dispersed and the plant provides nectar for native birds and a diversity of insects, making it a keystone canopy component in Hawaiian forests.

For cultivation, it tolerates full sun to partial shade and a broad range of well-drained soils, with rainfall from dry to very wet environments; propagation is by seed, cuttings, or air layers, with seed viability often below 20% and germination typically 7–14 days. Cuttings and air layers can achieve high rooting success, aided by rooting hormones. Practical considerations include threats from Puccinia psidii rust and Rapid Ohia Death, which drive hygiene and movement controls; uses include landscape shade, windbreaks, and ornament, with traditional roles in leis, and wood that is very hard and dense for flooring, fence posts, and fuel; nectar-rich flowers support honey production and native birds.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

0-100 feet

Spread

20-30 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 9-12

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun to partial shade.

Soil Type

No single ideal soil type; tolerates a wide range of soil conditions.

Soil Drainage

Very well-draining to well-drained soils; avoid waterlogged conditions.

Soil pH

Acidic to neutral, pH 3.6–7.4

Bloom Color

Red; also pink, orange, yellow, salmon, and rare white varieties.

Bloom Time

Spring (peaks in spring to early summer); some populations peak in Fall or Winter; year-round blooming can occur in some trees.

Foliage Color

Green (range from dark green to gray-green)

Fall Foliage Color

No fall foliage color; evergreen.

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Relatively slow-growing

Seasons of Interest

All four seasons.

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Air layering

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees, hummingbirds, other pollinators (insects), and birds