ʻŌhiʻa Lehua · Metrosideros polymorpha
ʻŌhiʻa Lehua is one of Hawaiʻi’s most beloved native trees, deeply woven into the landscape, culture, and moʻolelo of the islands. One well-known moʻolelo tells of a young man named ʻŌhiʻa, who was deeply in love with a woman named Lehua. Pele, the goddess of the volcano, also desired ʻŌhiʻa, but he remained faithful to Lehua. Angered by his refusal, Pele transformed ʻŌhiʻa into a tree.
Lehua was heartbroken and pleaded for him to be returned to her. When this could not be undone, the gods took pity on her and transformed Lehua into the beautiful lehua blossom, allowing the two to remain together on the same tree.
From this comes the familiar belief that plucking a lehua blossom separates the two lovers, and rain that follows is said to be their tears. For this reason, many people choose to admire the flowers where they grow rather than pick them.
But ʻŌhiʻa is more than a love story. It is an endemic Hawaiian tree, found nowhere else in the world, and one of the most important native trees in Hawaiʻi. It can be among the first plants to take root on fresh lava, helping life return to the landscape. Its flowers provide nectar for native forest birds, while the tree itself is deeply connected to hula, lei, and Hawaiian cultural practices.
ʻŌhiʻa reminds us that love, ʻāina, and life are deeply connected—that even after fire and change, something beautiful can take root again.
