‘Ākala (Rubus hawaiensis)

Photo courtesy of Jupiter Nielsen

Hawaiian name: ‘Ākala
Botanical name: Rubus hawaiensis
Family: Rosaceae (Rose family)
Status: Endemic
Where found: Maui, Moloka‘i, Hawai‘i & Kaua‘i
Water/Light: Moist, full to partial sun
Elevation range: 2,000 to 10,000 feet
Height: 5 to 15 feet

‘Ākala is the Hawaiian word for pink, referring to the color of the juice of this native raspberry. Early Hawaiians used it to produce a striking pink to rose-colored kapa dye. ‘Ākala is among the largest of raspberry fruits in the world, sometimes producing berries up to two inches long. The fruits range in colors from salmon, pink, red, dark purple, yellow to white. Although not as sweet as the common raspberry, a tasty jelly can be made with ‘ākala berries.

Do you know the 3 "kala" of Hawai‘i? 

1. The kala of the kai (ocean) = limu-kala (Sargassum seaweed) 
2. The kala of the waena (middle lands) = pua-kala (the native Hawaiian poppy) 
3. The kala of the uka (uplands) = ʻākala (this species).