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West Virginia · August

What foragers look for in West Virginia in August

15 of the 17 species on the West Virginia 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, West Virginia · n=150 (63 in August)
  2. ChagaInonotus obliquus
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=98 (23 in August)
  3. PawpawAsimina triloba
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=201 (65 in August)
  4. Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp.
    Records rising
    92% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=141 (36 in August)
  5. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Records rising
    81% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=779 (154 in August)
  6. Black walnutJuglans nigra
    Records rising
    73% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=43 (8 in August)
  7. Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp.
    Records tailing off
    68% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=314 (49 in August)
  8. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Records rising
    59% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=253 (47 in August)
  9. ChanterellesCantharellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    58% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=278 (75 in August)
  10. ElderberriesSambucus spp.
    Records tailing off
    47% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=80 (14 in August)
  11. SumacsRhus spp.
    Records rising
    42% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=157 (19 in August)
  12. American persimmonDiospyros virginiana
    Records rising
    41% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=49 (9 in August)
  13. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Records rising
    28% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=70 (5 in August)
  14. Blackberries, raspberries and relativesRubus spp.
    Records tailing off
    18% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=113 (9 in August)
  15. Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea
    Records rising
    18% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, West Virginia · n=50 (5 in August)

In West Virginia, August is the busiest month of the year for records of: Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Chaga, Pawpaw. "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 West Virginia in August?

In public records for West Virginia, people most often report these in August: Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Chaga, Pawpaw, Blueberries, huckleberries and relatives, Chicken of the woods, Black walnut, Oyster mushrooms, Lion's mane and other Hericium. 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

Ohio in AugustPennsylvania in AugustMaryland in AugustVirginia in AugustKentucky in August

West Virginia: 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, 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
The 15 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in August in West Virginia. 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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It never identifies species or judges edibility. Free to start, no account.

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