Forager's Field NotesForaging calendar · public records
Foraging calendar: New York
Month by month, when people in New York record the things foragers look for: 26 species from 19,115 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChagaInonotus obliquus iNaturalist · n=430 | ||||||||||||
| MorelsMorchella spp. iNaturalist · n=681 | ||||||||||||
| ElderberriesSambucus spp. iNaturalist · n=500 | ||||||||||||
| MulberriesMorus spp. iNaturalist · n=97 | ||||||||||||
| Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp. iNaturalist · n=2,281 | ||||||||||||
| Serviceberries (juneberries)Amelanchier spp. iNaturalist · n=126 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Jun (n=10) | ||||||||||||
| Wild strawberriesFragaria spp. iNaturalist · n=58 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Jun (n=22) | ||||||||||||
| Black cherryPrunus serotina iNaturalist · n=203 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Aug (n=234) | ||||||||||||
| Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp. iNaturalist · n=1,260 | ||||||||||||
| Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp. iNaturalist · n=355 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Jul (n=252) | ||||||||||||
| ChanterellesCantharellus spp. iNaturalist · n=819 | ||||||||||||
| ChokecherryPrunus virginiana iNaturalist · n=102 | ||||||||||||
| HazelnutsCorylus spp. iNaturalist · n=61 | ||||||||||||
| PawpawAsimina triloba iNaturalist · n=59 | ||||||||||||
| SumacsRhus spp. iNaturalist · n=2,095 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Oct (n=303) | ||||||||||||
| Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp. iNaturalist · n=713 | ||||||||||||
| Wild grapesVitis spp. iNaturalist · n=60 | ||||||||||||
| Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp. iNaturalist · n=4,002 | ||||||||||||
| Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea iNaturalist · n=818 | ||||||||||||
| Hedgehog mushroomsHydnum spp. iNaturalist · n=62 | ||||||||||||
| Hickories and pecanCarya spp. iNaturalist · n=157 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Sep (n=233) | ||||||||||||
| King boleteBoletus edulis iNaturalist · n=96 | ||||||||||||
| Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp. iNaturalist · n=1,253 | ||||||||||||
| Black walnutJuglans nigra iNaturalist · n=276 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Oct (n=15) | ||||||||||||
| Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa iNaturalist · n=1,583 | ||||||||||||
| Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp. iNaturalist · n=968 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Oct (n=29) |
Questions
When do people record mushrooms in New York?
In the public records, the busiest months are: Chicken of the woods (Sep), Oyster mushrooms (Jun), Hen of the woods (maitake) (Oct), Lion's mane and other Hericium (Sep), Chanterelles (Jul), Giant puffball (Sep). 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 New York?
Records of plants with fruit peak as follows: Sumacs (Jul), Blackberries, raspberries and relatives (Jul), Wild roses (hips) (Oct), Elderberries (Jun), Blueberries, huckleberries and relatives (Jul), Black walnut (Oct). 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, New York, 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 York, 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 New York 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.