The 'Ohi'a Lehua Metrosideros polymorpha tree is one of the most common trees in Hawaii. The Red Lehua flower is the official flower of the Big Island. The tree itself comes in many sizes, tall towering trees 40 to 60 ft tall, to small shrubs. The flowers are almost always red, though yellow, salmon, pink and white varieties can be found.
The wood of the tree itself is a hard wood and can be used in furniture and for flooring, though modern use of the wood is rare. The leaves of the tree can also differ from tree to tree. Some leaves are smooth, while others hairy. Leaves tend to be rounded and somewhat narrow and fairly stiff. The trees tend to prefer wetter areas but grow just about anywhere.
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