Metrosideros rugosa
An endemic Hawaiian myrtle-family tree from Oʻahu's Koʻolau Mountains, compact with red flowers and deeply indented leaf veins with partly rolled margins, thriving on wet, windy ridges and cliffs, reaching 10–30 ft tall and 10–15 ft wide, and valued for erosion control, wildlife habitat, and cultural importance in Hawaiian landscapes.
Common Names
Lehua Papa, Lehua Papa Tree, ‘Ōhi‘a
Summary
Lehua papa is a shrub or small tree endemic to Oʻahu, Hawaii, inhabiting summits of very wet, windswept ridges and cliffs in the Koʻolau mountains; it features a compact form, red flowers, and leaves with deeply indented veins and partly rolled margins, with a dark green glossy upper surface and a densely woolly tan to reddish-brown lower surface, reaching up to about 20 ft tall.
It is a perennial native to Hawaii, growing on or near cliff summits at about 700–800 m; blooms red flowers year-round (Jan–Dec); fruit is a capsule.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
10-30 feet
Spread
10-15 feet
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally full sun.
Soil Type
Well-draining soil, preferably volcanic or sandy types, pH 6.0–7.0.
Soil Drainage
Well-draining soil
Soil pH
6.0-7.0, slightly acidic to neutral
Bloom Color
Red
Bloom Time
Spring and Summer
Foliage Color
Dark green
Growth Rate
Moderate
Seasons of Interest
All four seasons
Propagation Methods
Seeds and Cuttings
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- A.Gray
- Publication
- U.S. Expl. Exped., Phan. 1: 561 (1854)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Myrtales
- Family
- Myrtaceae
- Genus
- Metrosideros