Forager's Field NotesForaging calendar · public records
Foraging calendar: Kentucky
Month by month, when people in Kentucky record the things foragers look for: 17 species from 3,143 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=233 | ||||||||||||
| MulberriesMorus spp. iNaturalist · n=80 | ||||||||||||
| Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp. iNaturalist · n=96 | ||||||||||||
| Black cherryPrunus serotina iNaturalist · n=59 | ||||||||||||
| ChanterellesCantharellus spp. iNaturalist · n=166 | ||||||||||||
| PawpawAsimina triloba iNaturalist · n=248 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Aug (n=8) | ||||||||||||
| SumacsRhus spp. iNaturalist · n=270 | ||||||||||||
| Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp. iNaturalist · n=58 | ||||||||||||
| American persimmonDiospyros virginiana iNaturalist · n=205 | ||||||||||||
| Black walnutJuglans nigra iNaturalist · n=78 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Oct (n=13) | ||||||||||||
| Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp. iNaturalist · n=731 | ||||||||||||
| Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea iNaturalist · n=107 | ||||||||||||
| Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa iNaturalist · n=89 | ||||||||||||
| Hickories and pecanCarya spp. iNaturalist · n=46 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Sep (n=31) | ||||||||||||
| Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp. iNaturalist · n=246 | ||||||||||||
| Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp. iNaturalist · n=91 | ||||||||||||
| Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp. iNaturalist · n=340 |
Questions
When do people record mushrooms in Kentucky?
In the public records, the busiest months are: Chicken of the woods (Sep), Oyster mushrooms (Dec), Lion's mane and other Hericium (Oct), Morels (Apr), Chanterelles (Jul), Giant puffball (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 Kentucky?
Records of plants with fruit peak as follows: Sumacs (Jul), Pawpaw (Jul), American persimmon (Sep), Blackberries, raspberries and relatives (Jun), Wild roses (hips) (Oct), Mulberries (May). 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, Kentucky, 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, Kentucky, 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 Kentucky 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.