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Metrosideros polymorpha

ʻōhiʻa lehua

Myrtaceae Hawaiian Islands

Attracts Pollinators Drought Tolerant

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 10–12

Overview

Metrosideros polymorpha, known as ohia lehua, is an evergreen tree endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it forms the dominant canopy of the islands native forests. Its form ranges from a low, wind-shaped shrub 3 feet (1 m) tall on exposed lava and bog to a forest tree 60-100 feet (18-30 m) tall, reflecting the variability captured in the species name. The leathery, rounded to oval leaves are 1-3 inches (2.5-8 cm) long, often with woolly grey hairs on new growth that age to smooth dark green. Dense clusters crown the branch tips, each bloom a pompom of long stamens, usually scarlet but also orange, salmon, yellow, or white in some populations. The flowers, called lehua, supply nectar to the native honeycreepers apapane and iiwi and to native insects. M. polymorpha colonizes fresh lava flows, growing from cracks where little else establishes, and ranges from sea level to about 8,200 feet (2,500 m). It anchors wet and mesic Hawaiian forests as a foundation species. One limitation is its susceptibility to Rapid Ohia Death, a fungal disease caused by Ceratocystis spp. species that has killed large stands since the 2010s.

Native Range

Metrosideros polymorpha is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands, where it occurs on all the main volcanic islands. It grows from coastal lowlands and fresh lava flows up to subalpine zones near 8,200 feet (2,500 m), in habitats from arid scrub to cloud forest and bog.

Suggested Uses

Metrosideros polymorpha is grown as a flowering specimen and screen in Hawaiian and frost-free gardens and is central to native forest restoration. Its hard, dense wood has been used for flooring, tools, and carving. The lehua flowers hold deep cultural significance in Hawaiian tradition and hula.

How to Identify

Recognize it by the pompom flowers of long red, orange, or yellow stamens clustered at branch tips and the leathery oval leaves, often grey-woolly when young. The bark is rough and grey to reddish. Its wide variation in leaf shape, hairiness, and stature across sites is itself a clue, alongside its near-constant presence in native Hawaiian forest.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 100'

Width/Spread10' - 30'

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~12 weeks

Spring Summer

Flowering can occur year-round in Hawaiian forests, with a peak from spring into summer. The stamen-rich lehua blooms last one to two weeks and draw nectar-feeding birds. Woody seed capsules follow, releasing tiny wind-borne seed.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

scarlet, also orange, yellow, or salmon

Foliage Description

grey-green to dark green

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 5-10 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range4.5 - 6.5(Acidic)

357912

Soil Types

rocky sand loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

tender

Time to Maturity

10-20 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Metrosideros polymorpha grows in full sun to part shade on volcanic, rocky, and acidic soils with a pH of about 4.5 to 6.5, and tolerates the low fertility of fresh lava. It needs consistent moisture in cultivation, though wild populations span dry to very wet sites depending on local ecotype. It is frost-tender and suited to zones 10 to 12, growing slowly and sensitive to root disturbance. Sharp drainage and acidic, mineral soils support establishment. Wet-forest ecotypes accept higher rainfall than dry-site forms. Plants are vulnerable to the fungal Rapid Ohia Death, which spreads through wounds and contaminated soil or tools.

Pruning

M. polymorpha needs little pruning and is shaped lightly to remove dead or crossing wood. Because open wounds are entry points for the Ceratocystis spp. fungus behind Rapid Ohia Death, cuts are kept to a minimum and made in dry weather. Slow growth means recovery from heavy cutting is gradual.