Flower profile
‘ākala
Rubus hawaiensis
‘ākala (Rubus hawaiensis) is a low shrub in the Rosaceae family.
‘ākala is a flowering plant.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Hawaii
Quick look
Rubus hawaiensis, also called the ʻĀkala, is one of two species commonly known as Hawaiian raspberry, endemic to Hawaii.
- It belongs to the Rosaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a subshrub with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Hawaii. NatureServe
- iNaturalist has 635 research-grade sightings of it in Hawaii, ranking #79 among the 118 flowers on our Hawaii list. iNaturalist
When does it bloom?
There are only a handful of Hawaii flowering records, so this chart uses records from across the U.S.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G2 Imperiled worldwide. NatureServe
- Hawaii
- Not listed Not on Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife. NatureServe: S2, imperiled in Hawaii. HAR 13-107
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Please don't pick or dig this flower: NatureServe ranks it S2 in Hawaii. NatureServe
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list. For context only: ASPCA lists a related species, Rubus pedatus (“Creeping Rubus”), as non-toxic to dogs and cats. That doesn't tell us about this species, so keep pets away to be safe. ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records ‘ākala in 1 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Hawaii.
Hawaii counties with USDA records: Hawaii, Honolulu, Kauai, Maui.
Names, range and relatives
County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 4 counties across 1 states; the most are in Hawaii (4).
Other Rubus on Bloomipedia (14): Thimbleberry, Wineberry, Black raspberry, Trailing blackberry, Salmonberry, Southern dewberry, Purple-flowered raspberry, Armenian blackberry, Swamp dewberry, Rocky Mountain raspberry.
More from the Rosaceae family (103 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Roses (genus Rosa), Multiflora rose, Mock strawberry, Black cherry, Toyon, Chokecherry, White meadowsweet, Ocean spray.
More Hawaii flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile RUHA.
- iNaturalist, Rubus hawaiensis: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Rubus hawaiensis (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Hawaii: Hawaii threatened and endangered plants (HAR 13-107; the state list follows the federal list), DLNR Division of Forestry and Wildlife.
- Hawaii: Hawaii noxious weed list (HAR 4-68).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Rubus hawaiensis (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Steve Wells via iNaturalist · CC0 · resized.