Foraging calendar · public records
Foraging calendar: South Carolina
Month by month, when people in South Carolina record the things foragers look for: 12 species from 1,834 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp. iNaturalist · n=42 | ||||||||||||
| Black cherryPrunus serotina iNaturalist · n=49 | ||||||||||||
| Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp. iNaturalist · n=79 | ||||||||||||
| Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp. iNaturalist · n=106 | ||||||||||||
| ChanterellesCantharellus spp. iNaturalist · n=153 | ||||||||||||
| Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp. iNaturalist · n=238 | ||||||||||||
| PawpawAsimina triloba iNaturalist · n=111 | ||||||||||||
| Wild grapesVitis spp. iNaturalist · n=43 | ||||||||||||
| American persimmonDiospyros virginiana iNaturalist · n=236 | ||||||||||||
| Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp. iNaturalist · n=380 | ||||||||||||
| SumacsRhus spp. iNaturalist · n=138 | ||||||||||||
| Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp. iNaturalist · n=259 |
Questions
When do people record mushrooms in South Carolina?
In the public records, the busiest months are: Chicken of the woods (Sep), Lion's mane and other Hericium (Nov), Oyster mushrooms (Aug), Chanterelles (Aug), Black trumpets and other Craterellus (Aug). 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 South Carolina?
Records of plants with fruit peak as follows: American persimmon (Sep), Sumacs (Sep), Pawpaw (Aug), Blueberries, huckleberries and relatives (Jun), Black cherry (Jun), Wild grapes (Aug). 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, South 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, South 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 South 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.