‘Ōhelo & ʻŌmaʻo Purple Aloha Shirt Dress

The ‘Ōhelo plant (Hawaiian blueberry) thrives in high-altitude shrublands across the Hawaiian Islands. A relative of the blueberry, this endemic shrub with edible berries is among the first plants to grow on recent lava flows. This plant is a low-growing, woody perennial characterized by small, leathery leaves that usually have a reddish hue when young. Its bell-shaped flowers give way to fleshy berries that vary in color from brilliant crimson to a pale, buttery yellow.

Culturally, the ‘ōhelo is deeply sacred to Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess. Traditional custom dictates that before a single berry is consumed, an offering of ‘ōhelo must be made to Pele. Beyond its cultural significance, the berries are an important food source to the endangered nēnē (Hawaiian goose) and to several fruit-eating native bird species.

To encounter the ‘ōhelo amidst the misty uplands is to witness the quiet tenacity of Hawaii’s unique evolutionary heritage. To preserve and appreciate this special plant is to perpetuate its significance to Hawai‘i both culturally and ecologically.