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Ohio · August

What foragers look for in Ohio in August

16 of the 19 species on the Ohio 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. ElderberriesSambucus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=592 (208 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 13 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Ohio peak in August.
  2. Hickories and pecanCarya spp.
    Records rising
    93% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=59 (14 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 11 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Ohio peak in January.
  3. SumacsRhus spp.
    Records rising
    87% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=1,191 (243 in August)
  4. Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp.
    Records tailing off
    72% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=3,553 (530 in August)
  5. PawpawAsimina triloba
    Records rising
    66% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=852 (201 in August)
  6. Wild grapesVitis spp.
    Records rising
    64% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=44 (7 in August)
  7. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Records rising
    55% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=3,819 (731 in August)
  8. Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    54% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=144 (29 in August)
  9. ChanterellesCantharellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    50% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=568 (153 in August)
  10. Black walnutJuglans nigra
    Records rising
    44% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=185 (28 in August)
  11. American persimmonDiospyros virginiana
    Records rising
    43% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=163 (25 in August)
  12. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Records rising
    39% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=1,065 (113 in August)
  13. Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp.
    Records tailing off
    30% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=94 (9 in August)
  14. Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp.
    Records tailing off
    15% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=302 (22 in August)
  15. Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea
    Records rising
    13% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=645 (48 in August)
  16. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Records rising
    10% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Ohio · n=839 (36 in August)

In Ohio, August is the busiest month of the year for records of: Elderberries. "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 Ohio in August?

In public records for Ohio, people most often report these in August: Elderberries, Hickories and pecan, Sumacs, Oyster mushrooms, Pawpaw, Wild grapes, Chicken of the woods, Black trumpets and other Craterellus. 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

Michigan in AugustIndiana in AugustKentucky in AugustWest Virginia in AugustPennsylvania in August

Ohio: 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, Ohio, 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, Ohio, 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 16 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in August in Ohio. 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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