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New Jersey · September

What foragers look for in New Jersey in September

14 of the 18 species on the New Jersey calendar have September 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.
‹ AugustOctober ›
  1. Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp.
    Records tailing off
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=219 (57 in September)
  2. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=1,707 (567 in September)
  3. Prickly pearOpuntia spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=82 (30 in September)
  4. SumacsRhus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=768 (178 in September)
  5. Black walnutJuglans nigra
    Records tailing off
    94% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=201 (29 in September)
  6. Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea
    Records rising
    90% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=145 (45 in September)
  7. Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    87% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=238 (71 in September)
  8. American persimmonDiospyros virginiana
    Records rising
    63% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=244 (58 in September)
  9. Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp.
    Records tailing off
    58% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=494 (57 in September)
  10. Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa
    Records rising
    47% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=584 (175 in September)
  11. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Records tailing off
    45% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=671 (54 in September)
  12. ChanterellesCantharellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    38% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=536 (81 in September)
  13. Hickories and pecanCarya spp.
    Records tailing off
    36% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=54 (4 in September)
  14. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Records rising
    29% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, New Jersey · n=310 (42 in September)

In New Jersey, September is the busiest month of the year for records of: Chicken of the woods, Prickly pear, Sumacs. Records of Black cherry, Elderberries drop below the listing line after August. "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.

‹ AugustOctober ›

Questions

What do foragers look for in New Jersey in September?

In public records for New Jersey, people most often report these in September: Blueberries, huckleberries and relatives, Chicken of the woods, Prickly pear, Sumacs, Black walnut, Giant puffball, Black trumpets and other Craterellus, American persimmon. 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

New York in SeptemberPennsylvania in SeptemberDelaware in September

New Jersey: the whole year · September 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, New Jersey, 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, New Jersey, 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 14 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in September in New Jersey. 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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