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Pennsylvania · August

What foragers look for in Pennsylvania in August

20 of the 22 species on the Pennsylvania 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. Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=1,016 (308 in August)
  2. Hickories and pecanCarya spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=146 (39 in August)
  3. King boleteBoletus edulis
    Records rising
    96% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=92 (24 in August)
  4. PawpawAsimina triloba
    Records rising
    76% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=346 (83 in August)
  5. Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp.
    Records tailing off
    74% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=4,653 (755 in August)
  6. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Records rising
    73% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=5,346 (1,160 in August)
  7. ElderberriesSambucus spp.
    Records tailing off
    71% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=588 (165 in August)
  8. Black walnutJuglans nigra
    Records rising
    65% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=322 (60 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 29 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Pennsylvania peak in September.
  9. Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp.
    Records tailing off
    64% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=211 (35 in August)
  10. ChagaInonotus obliquus
    Records tailing off
    64% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=221 (21 in August)
  11. ChanterellesCantharellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    62% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=2,313 (653 in August)
  12. HazelnutsCorylus spp.
    Records tailing off
    59% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=57 (13 in August)
  13. SumacsRhus spp.
    Records tailing off
    59% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=1,100 (154 in August)
  14. Black cherryPrunus serotina
    Records tailing off
    52% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=85 (22 in August)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 14 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Pennsylvania peak in August.
  15. Hedgehog mushroomsHydnum spp.
    Records rising
    48% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=198 (40 in August)
  16. American persimmonDiospyros virginiana
    Records rising
    42% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=130 (18 in August)
  17. Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea
    Records rising
    24% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=631 (80 in August)
  18. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Records rising
    21% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=596 (37 in August)
  19. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Records rising
    19% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=1,150 (85 in August)
  20. Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp.
    Records tailing off
    11% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Pennsylvania · n=612 (40 in August)

In Pennsylvania, August is the busiest month of the year for records of: Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Hickories and pecan. "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 Pennsylvania in August?

In public records for Pennsylvania, people most often report these in August: Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Hickories and pecan, King bolete, Pawpaw, Oyster mushrooms, Chicken of the woods, Elderberries, Black walnut. 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 AugustNew Jersey in AugustDelaware in AugustMaryland in AugustWest Virginia in AugustOhio in August

Pennsylvania: 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, Pennsylvania, 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, Pennsylvania, 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 20 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in August in Pennsylvania. Common names are the ones foragers use and are not an identification; the scientific name is the source's taxon.

Record what you find

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