Forager's Field NotesForaging calendar · public records
Foraging calendar: Illinois
Month by month, when people in Illinois record the things foragers look for: 19 species from 8,596 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=863 | ||||||||||||
| Serviceberries (juneberries)Amelanchier spp. iNaturalist · n=58 | ||||||||||||
| Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp. iNaturalist · n=1,969 | ||||||||||||
| Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp. iNaturalist · n=147 | ||||||||||||
| MulberriesMorus spp. iNaturalist · n=54 | ||||||||||||
| Black cherryPrunus serotina iNaturalist · n=50 | ||||||||||||
| ChanterellesCantharellus spp. iNaturalist · n=159 | ||||||||||||
| SumacsRhus spp. iNaturalist · n=962 | ||||||||||||
| American plumPrunus americana iNaturalist · n=44 | ||||||||||||
| Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp. iNaturalist · n=59 | ||||||||||||
| Black walnutJuglans nigra iNaturalist · n=102 | ||||||||||||
| ElderberriesSambucus spp. iNaturalist · n=122 | ||||||||||||
| American persimmonDiospyros virginiana iNaturalist · n=159 | ||||||||||||
| Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp. iNaturalist · n=1,903 | ||||||||||||
| PawpawAsimina triloba iNaturalist · n=192 | ||||||||||||
| Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea iNaturalist · n=741 | ||||||||||||
| Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa iNaturalist · n=572 | ||||||||||||
| Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp. iNaturalist · n=239 | ||||||||||||
| Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp. iNaturalist · n=201 |
Questions
When do people record mushrooms in Illinois?
In the public records, the busiest months are: Oyster mushrooms (May), Chicken of the woods (Sep), Morels (Apr), Giant puffball (Oct), Hen of the woods (maitake) (Oct), Lion's mane and other Hericium (Oct). 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 Illinois?
Records of plants with fruit peak as follows: Sumacs (Jul), Wild roses (hips) (Oct), Pawpaw (Sep), American persimmon (Sep), Blackberries, raspberries and relatives (Jun), 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, Illinois, 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, Illinois, 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 Illinois 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.