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Minnesota · August

What foragers look for in Minnesota in August

21 of the 24 species on the Minnesota 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. American plumPrunus americana
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=101 (52 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 11 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in September.
  2. Black cherryPrunus serotina
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=98 (55 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 55 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in August.
  3. Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=168 (55 in August)
  4. Black walnutJuglans nigra
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=120 (33 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 11 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in September.
  5. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=2,388 (810 in August)
  6. Wild grapesVitis spp.
    Records tailing off
    80% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=181 (51 in August)
  7. ChagaInonotus obliquus
    Records tailing off
    79% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=373 (45 in August)
  8. ChanterellesCantharellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    78% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=89 (29 in August)
  9. Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp.
    Records tailing off
    78% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=428 (118 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 8 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in July.
  10. HazelnutsCorylus spp.
    Records tailing off
    68% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=249 (80 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 25 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in August.
  11. SumacsRhus spp.
    Records tailing off
    67% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=685 (107 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 65 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in August.
  12. Hickories and pecanCarya spp.
    Records tailing off
    64% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=40 (9 in August)
  13. Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp.
    Records tailing off
    63% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=1,706 (326 in August)
  14. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Records rising
    56% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=49 (10 in August)
  15. King boleteBoletus edulis
    Records rising
    48% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=94 (22 in August)
  16. ChokecherryPrunus virginiana
    Records tailing off
    41% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=614 (160 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 46 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in August.
  17. Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea
    Records rising
    40% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=957 (162 in August)
  18. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Records rising
    39% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=496 (109 in August)
  19. ElderberriesSambucus spp.
    Records tailing off
    38% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=379 (63 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 14 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in July.
  20. Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp.
    Records tailing off
    36% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=659 (116 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 9 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Minnesota peak in August.
  21. Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa
    Records rising
    21% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Minnesota · n=549 (73 in August)

In Minnesota, August is the busiest month of the year for records of: American plum, Black cherry, Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Black walnut, Chicken of the woods. Records of Mulberries, Wild strawberries 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 Minnesota in August?

In public records for Minnesota, people most often report these in August: American plum, Black cherry, Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Black walnut, Chicken of the woods, Wild grapes, Chaga, Chanterelles. 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

Wisconsin in AugustIowa in AugustSouth Dakota in August

Minnesota: 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, Minnesota, 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, Minnesota, 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 21 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in August in Minnesota. 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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