Scientist finds a native berry’s sister species in Japan

Hawaiʻi and Japan have a slew of sister cities — Honolulu is siblings with Hiroshima and Shibuya, while Hawaiʻi County has seven sister cities in Japan. Now, researchers think that Hawaiʻi’s native blueberry, known as ʻōhelo ʻai, has a sister species in the mountains of Japan.

Peter Fritsch is the vice president for research and conservation at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. He led a new study into the origins of the ʻōhelo berry. Fritsch spoke with The Conversation about the research and the amazing world of blueberries.

This story aired on The Conversation on Nov. 25, 2025. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.