Forager's Field NotesForaging calendar · public records
Foraging calendar: Colorado
Month by month, when people in Colorado record the things foragers look for: 12 species from 2,547 public observations. Darker means more of that row's records fall in that month.
| Recorded | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MorelsMorchella spp. iNaturalist · n=107 | ||||||||||||
| Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp. iNaturalist · n=296 | ||||||||||||
| American plumPrunus americana iNaturalist · n=248 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Aug (n=9) | ||||||||||||
| ChokecherryPrunus virginiana iNaturalist · n=103 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Aug (n=40) | ||||||||||||
| Serviceberries (juneberries)Amelanchier spp. iNaturalist · n=198 | ||||||||||||
| Wild strawberriesFragaria spp. iNaturalist · n=181 | ||||||||||||
| Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp. iNaturalist · n=518 | ||||||||||||
| Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp. iNaturalist · n=57 | ||||||||||||
| ChanterellesCantharellus spp. iNaturalist · n=172 | ||||||||||||
| ElderberriesSambucus spp. iNaturalist · n=167 | ||||||||||||
| SumacsRhus spp. iNaturalist · n=419 | ||||||||||||
| Prickly pearOpuntia spp. iNaturalist · n=81 |
Questions
When do people record mushrooms in Colorado?
In the public records, the busiest months are: Oyster mushrooms (May), Chanterelles (Aug), Morels (May). That is when people reported them, not a forecast or a statement that anything is safe to eat.
When do people record wild fruit and nuts in Colorado?
Records of plants with fruit peak as follows: Blackberries, raspberries and relatives (Aug), Sumacs (Aug), American plum (Jun), Serviceberries (juneberries) (Jul), Wild strawberries (Jul), Elderberries (Aug). Fruit on a plant in a record says nothing about ripeness or edibility.
Is this a guide to what is safe to eat?
No. It lists when people recorded species in public datasets. It does not identify anything or judge edibility. Confirm every find with a qualified local expert.
Source and date
- iNaturalist
- Research-grade observations, Colorado, 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, Colorado, 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
- A row appears when a species has at least 40 Colorado records; a month page exists when at least 3 rows have records that month. Common names are the ones foragers use and are not an identification; the scientific name is the source's taxon.
Nearby states
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.