Forager's Field Notes Get the journal

Alaska · September

What foragers look for in Alaska in September

12 of the 13 species on the Alaska calendar have September records. Listed by how much of each row's year falls in this month.

Never eat anything based on this page or on the app. These tables show when people recorded these species in public datasets. They do not say anything is ripe, edible or safe, and they do not help identify a find. Confirm every find with a qualified local expert.
‹ AugustOctober ›
  1. ChanterellesCantharellus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=78 (29 in September)
  2. Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    98% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=337 (125 in September)
  3. ChagaInonotus obliquus
    Records tailing off
    96% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=136 (26 in September)
  4. King boleteBoletus edulis
    Records tailing off
    81% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=400 (135 in September)
  5. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Records tailing off
    65% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=52 (11 in September)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 27 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Alaska peak in August.
  6. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Records tailing off
    44% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=676 (158 in September)
  7. Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp.
    Records tailing off
    40% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=704 (134 in September)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 155 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Alaska peak in August.
  8. Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp.
    Records tailing off
    39% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=44 (7 in September)
  9. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Records tailing off
    33% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=323 (62 in September)
  10. Serviceberries (juneberries)Amelanchier spp.
    Records tailing off
    20% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=69 (8 in September)
  11. ElderberriesSambucus spp.
    Records tailing off
    16% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=138 (10 in September)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 23 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Alaska peak in August.
  12. Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp.
    Records tailing off
    11% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Alaska · n=582 (33 in September)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 17 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Alaska peak in August.

In Alaska, September is the busiest month of the year for records of: Chanterelles. "Peak month" means the month with the most records for that row; "rising" and "tailing off" describe the record counts on either side of it, nothing about the plant or fungus itself.

‹ AugustOctober ›

Questions

What do foragers look for in Alaska in September?

In public records for Alaska, people most often report these in September: Chanterelles, Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Chaga, King bolete, Wild roses (hips), Chicken of the woods, Blueberries, huckleberries and relatives, Oyster mushrooms. This is a list of records, not of anything safe to eat.

Does a record mean it is ripe or edible?

No. A record means someone reported the species that month. It says nothing about ripeness, quantity or edibility, and many have dangerous lookalikes. Confirm every find with a qualified local expert.

Same month, nearby

Washington in September

Alaska: the whole year · September across the US

Source and date

Counts are public records by calendar month, shown as a share of each row's busiest month. A record means someone reported the species that month; it says nothing about quantity, ripeness or safety. Records follow where and when people go out, so busy weekends and popular parks count more than remote ground.

iNaturalist
Research-grade observations, Alaska, all years to 2026-10-20: mushrooms as all observations; fruit and nut plants as observations annotated "Fruits or Seeds". Retrieved 2026-10-20 from the iNaturalist API. inaturalist.org
USA-NPN
Nature's Notebook "Ripe fruits" phenophase status records, Alaska, 2009–2025 (one record = one plant in one year, from first to last "yes"). Retrieved 2026-10-20 from the USA National Phenology Network data service, shown as a cross-check where a row has at least 8 records. usanpn.org
Rows
The 12 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in September in Alaska. Common names are the ones foragers use and are not an identification; the scientific name is the source's taxon.

Record what you find

Forager's Field Notes is a private journal: your own names, your own patches, stored only on your phone. Log a find and your own calendar builds itself, week by week, with a year wheel you can share and a field checklist for next month.

It never identifies species or judges edibility. Free to start, no account.

App StoreGoogle PlayBuild your own calendar