Forager's Field NotesForaging calendar · public records
Foraging calendar: Indiana
Month by month, when people in Indiana record the things foragers look for: 19 species from 7,168 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=716 | ||||||||||||
| MulberriesMorus spp. iNaturalist · n=97 | ||||||||||||
| Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp. iNaturalist · n=152 | ||||||||||||
| Black cherryPrunus serotina iNaturalist · n=51 | ||||||||||||
| ChanterellesCantharellus spp. iNaturalist · n=745 | ||||||||||||
| PawpawAsimina triloba iNaturalist · n=312 | ||||||||||||
| Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp. iNaturalist · n=160 | ||||||||||||
| ElderberriesSambucus spp. iNaturalist · n=229 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Aug (n=10) | ||||||||||||
| Hedgehog mushroomsHydnum spp. iNaturalist · n=44 | ||||||||||||
| Hickories and pecanCarya spp. iNaturalist · n=67 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Sep (n=12) | ||||||||||||
| Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp. iNaturalist · n=1,036 | ||||||||||||
| American persimmonDiospyros virginiana iNaturalist · n=129 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Oct (n=19) | ||||||||||||
| Black walnutJuglans nigra iNaturalist · n=94 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Sep (n=28) | ||||||||||||
| Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp. iNaturalist · n=1,540 | ||||||||||||
| SumacsRhus spp. iNaturalist · n=523 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Oct (n=20) | ||||||||||||
| Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp. iNaturalist · n=208 | ||||||||||||
| Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea iNaturalist · n=449 | ||||||||||||
| Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa iNaturalist · n=285 | ||||||||||||
| Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp. iNaturalist · n=331 |
Questions
When do people record mushrooms in Indiana?
In the public records, the busiest months are: Chicken of the woods (Sep), Oyster mushrooms (Aug), Chanterelles (Jul), Morels (Apr), Giant puffball (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 Indiana?
Records of plants with fruit peak as follows: Sumacs (Sep), Pawpaw (Jul), Elderberries (Aug), Wild roses (hips) (Sep), Blackberries, raspberries and relatives (Jun), American persimmon (Sep). 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, Indiana, 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, Indiana, 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 Indiana 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.