2016年4月12日 · At the 2016 Merrie Monarch Festival, for the first time in its more than half-a-century history, many hula halau (hula schools) opted to forgo traditional lei and adornments from the ohia lehua tree in order to stem the spread of a blight known as Rapid Ohia Death (ROD).

The hardy native Ōhi‘a Lehua is one of the first plants to recolonize after the lands are blanketed in Pele’s creations (lava). Its ashy bark and explosion of blooms that come in bright and fiery orange, yellow, pink and red, many associate the plant with the Hawaiian fire goddess Pele.

2024年4月9日 · Featuring Lei Wann, Kim Rogers, and Julia Diegmann ʻŌhiʻa are deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi’s ecosystems and culture . Known for their blossoms which can range from red, orange, to even yellow, these trees support various life forms including nectar-eating honeycreepers and epiphytic plants.

Metrosideros polymorpha, the ʻōhiʻa lehua, [4] is a species of flowering evergreen tree in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, that is endemic to the six largest islands of Hawaiʻi. It is a member of the diverse Metrosideros genus, which are widespread over the southwest Pacific .

In Hawaiian mythology, ‘Ōhi‘a and Lehua were young lovers. The volcano goddess Pele fell in love with the handsome ‘Ōhi‘a, but he turned down her advances. In a fit of jealousy, Pele transformed ‘Ōhi‘a into a tree. Lehua was devastated. Out of pity, other gods turned her into a flower on the ‘ōhi‘a tree.

2021年4月23日 · To celebrate ʻŌhiʻa Lehua Day—every year on April 25—we’ve compiled a few things you need to know about this tropical tree. SEE ALSO: 5 Pretty Ways to Wear Your ‘Ōhi‘a Lehua Love on Your Sleeve. 1. It’s a floral Swiss Army knife.

ʻŌhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is the most common and variable of all native trees. The species name polymorpha, meaning "many forms," is most apropos. Probably no other native Hawaiian plant is found in a greater number of varieties than this one.

As ‘Ōhi‘a played his ‘ohe hano ihu, Lehua gathered the foliage and blooms of the forest and fashioned them into lei. After garlanding ‘Ōhi‘a and herself, she would playfully lead him back to the kauhale, the village, where they would greet their kūpuna and give them the fragrant lei.

The generous-hearted girl always made lei when she went into the forest, and gave them to the kūpuna, the elders, on her return to the kauhale. One evening, as `Ōhi`a played his flute, before Lehua arrived at their meeting place, a different young woman appeared.

Today, ‘ōhi‘a lehua blossoms continue to be used in cultural ceremonies and practices, such as lei and hula, though many hula practitioners have begun forgoing the use of ōhi‘a lehua to prevent the spread of ROD and protect this culturally significant tree species.