‘Akiohala is a hibiscus that is unusual in several respects. It is a subshrub, which means it is mostly herbaceous, but the basal part of the stem is somewhat woody. The flowers are pale rose to magenta in color, unusual for Hibiscus. The stems are densely covered in stiff dark hairs that are NOT pleasant to touch. Particularly unusual is the natural distribution of the plant. Indigenous means native to this place (Hawai‘i) and somewhere else. In the case of ‘akiohala that "somewhere else" is the Caribbean (Florida and Central and South America).

This is a hibiscus that grows in wet areas but does not require wetland habitat. Our plants were first found out in the middle of Kawai Nui Marsh. It is not popular as a landscape plant owing to its prickly nature and rangy growth. Individual plants live for only a few years, but regenerate from seeds. At one time, this pink hibiscus was a common plant in windward and leeward valleys, but is now very rare.