Forager's Field NotesForaging calendar · public records
Foraging calendar: West Virginia
Month by month, when people in West Virginia record the things foragers look for: 17 species from 3,185 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=291 | ||||||||||||
| Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp. iNaturalist · n=113 | ||||||||||||
| ChanterellesCantharellus spp. iNaturalist · n=278 | ||||||||||||
| ElderberriesSambucus spp. iNaturalist · n=80 | ||||||||||||
| Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp. iNaturalist · n=314 | ||||||||||||
| Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp. iNaturalist · n=150 | ||||||||||||
| ChagaInonotus obliquus iNaturalist · n=98 | ||||||||||||
| PawpawAsimina triloba iNaturalist · n=201 | ||||||||||||
| Black walnutJuglans nigra iNaturalist · n=43 | ||||||||||||
| Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp. iNaturalist · n=141 | ||||||||||||
| Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp. iNaturalist · n=779 | ||||||||||||
| Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp. iNaturalist · n=253 | ||||||||||||
| SumacsRhus spp. iNaturalist · n=157 | ||||||||||||
| Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp. iNaturalist · n=70 | ||||||||||||
| American persimmonDiospyros virginiana iNaturalist · n=49 | ||||||||||||
| Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea iNaturalist · n=50 | ||||||||||||
| Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa iNaturalist · n=118 |
Questions
When do people record mushrooms in West Virginia?
In the public records, the busiest months are: Chicken of the woods (Sep), Oyster mushrooms (Jul), Morels (Apr), Chanterelles (Jul), Lion's mane and other Hericium (Sep), 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 West Virginia?
Records of plants with fruit peak as follows: Pawpaw (Aug), Sumacs (Sep), Blueberries, huckleberries and relatives (Sep), Blackberries, raspberries and relatives (Jun), Elderberries (Jul), Wild roses (hips) (Sep). 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, West Virginia, 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, West Virginia, 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 West Virginia 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.