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Indiana · August

What foragers look for in Indiana in August

15 of the 19 species on the Indiana calendar have August 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.
‹ JulySeptember ›
  1. Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=160 (55 in August)
  2. ElderberriesSambucus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=229 (110 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 10 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Indiana peak in August.
  3. Hedgehog mushroomsHydnum spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=44 (22 in August)
  4. Hickories and pecanCarya spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=67 (15 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 12 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Indiana peak in September.
  5. Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=1,036 (246 in August)
  6. PawpawAsimina triloba
    Records tailing off
    99% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=312 (75 in August)
  7. ChanterellesCantharellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    91% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=745 (294 in August)
  8. SumacsRhus spp.
    Records rising
    72% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=523 (84 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 20 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Indiana peak in October.
  9. Black walnutJuglans nigra
    Records rising
    67% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=94 (14 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 28 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Indiana peak in September.
  10. Black cherryPrunus serotina
    Records tailing off
    65% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=51 (13 in August)
  11. American persimmonDiospyros virginiana
    Records rising
    58% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=129 (19 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 19 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Indiana peak in October.
  12. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Records rising
    52% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=1,540 (264 in August)
  13. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Records rising
    32% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=208 (18 in August)
  14. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Records rising
    18% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=331 (24 in August)
  15. Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea
    Records rising
    15% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Indiana · n=449 (39 in August)

In Indiana, August is the busiest month of the year for records of: Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Elderberries, Hedgehog mushrooms, Hickories and pecan, Oyster mushrooms. Records of Mulberries, Blackberries, raspberries and relatives drop below the listing line after July. "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.

‹ JulySeptember ›

Questions

What do foragers look for in Indiana in August?

In public records for Indiana, people most often report these in August: Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Elderberries, Hedgehog mushrooms, Hickories and pecan, Oyster mushrooms, Pawpaw, Chanterelles, Sumacs. 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

Illinois in AugustMichigan in AugustOhio in AugustKentucky in August

Indiana: the whole year · August 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, 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
The 15 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in August in Indiana. 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.

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