Forager's Field NotesForaging calendar · public records
Foraging calendar: North Carolina
Month by month, when people in North Carolina record the things foragers look for: 22 species from 10,507 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=338 | ||||||||||||
| MulberriesMorus spp. iNaturalist · n=76 | ||||||||||||
| Wild strawberriesFragaria spp. iNaturalist · n=52 | ||||||||||||
| Black cherryPrunus serotina iNaturalist · n=161 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Sep (n=45) | ||||||||||||
| Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp. iNaturalist · n=303 | ||||||||||||
| Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp. iNaturalist · n=220 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Aug (n=33) | ||||||||||||
| Black walnutJuglans nigra iNaturalist · n=96 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Oct (n=33) | ||||||||||||
| Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp. iNaturalist · n=1,771 | ||||||||||||
| ElderberriesSambucus spp. iNaturalist · n=186 | ||||||||||||
| PawpawAsimina triloba iNaturalist · n=413 | ||||||||||||
| Prickly pearOpuntia spp. iNaturalist · n=41 | ||||||||||||
| Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp. iNaturalist · n=559 | ||||||||||||
| ChanterellesCantharellus spp. iNaturalist · n=1,508 | ||||||||||||
| Hedgehog mushroomsHydnum spp. iNaturalist · n=48 | ||||||||||||
| Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp. iNaturalist · n=1,105 | ||||||||||||
| Wild grapesVitis spp. iNaturalist · n=325 | ||||||||||||
| American persimmonDiospyros virginiana iNaturalist · n=985 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Oct (n=24) | ||||||||||||
| Hickories and pecanCarya spp. iNaturalist · n=45 · USA-NPN ripe fruits peak Sep (n=87) | ||||||||||||
| SumacsRhus spp. iNaturalist · n=736 | ||||||||||||
| Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa iNaturalist · n=269 | ||||||||||||
| Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp. iNaturalist · n=1,038 | ||||||||||||
| Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp. iNaturalist · n=232 |
Questions
When do people record mushrooms in North Carolina?
In the public records, the busiest months are: Chicken of the woods (Jul), Chanterelles (Aug), Oyster mushrooms (Aug), Lion's mane and other Hericium (Oct), Black trumpets and other Craterellus (Aug), Morels (Apr). 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 North Carolina?
Records of plants with fruit peak as follows: American persimmon (Sep), Sumacs (Sep), Pawpaw (Jul), Wild grapes (Aug), Blackberries, raspberries and relatives (Jun), Wild roses (hips) (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, North Carolina, 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, North Carolina, 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 North Carolina 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.