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Wisconsin · September

What foragers look for in Wisconsin in September

17 of the 21 species on the Wisconsin calendar have September 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.
‹ AugustOctober ›
  1. Black trumpets and other CraterellusCraterellus spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=240 (104 in September)
  2. Black walnutJuglans nigra
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=50 (21 in September)
    USA-NPN cross-check: 11 "Ripe fruits" plant-year records in Wisconsin peak in September.
  3. ChagaInonotus obliquus
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=145 (44 in September)
  4. Hen of the woods (maitake)Grifola frondosa
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=434 (266 in September)
  5. King boleteBoletus edulis
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=41 (13 in September)
  6. Lion's mane and other HericiumHericium spp.
    Peak month for records
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=414 (233 in September)
  7. Wild grapesVitis spp.
    Records tailing off
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=48 (13 in September)
  8. Chicken of the woodsLaetiporus spp.
    Records tailing off
    100% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=1,375 (408 in September)
  9. Giant puffballCalvatia gigantea
    Records rising
    73% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=663 (227 in September)
  10. Wild roses (hips)Rosa spp.
    Records rising
    64% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=109 (25 in September)
  11. SumacsRhus spp.
    Records tailing off
    62% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=484 (85 in September)
  12. Blueberries, huckleberries and relativesVaccinium spp.
    Records tailing off
    49% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=142 (17 in September)
  13. ChanterellesCantharellus spp.
    Records tailing off
    43% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=175 (29 in September)
  14. Oyster mushroomsPleurotus spp.
    Records tailing off
    42% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=2,799 (316 in September)
  15. ElderberriesSambucus spp.
    Records tailing off
    39% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=271 (32 in September)
  16. American plumPrunus americana
    Records tailing off
    33% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=55 (12 in September)
  17. ChokecherryPrunus virginiana
    Records tailing off
    23% of this row's peak · iNaturalist research-grade observations, Wisconsin · n=40 (3 in September)

In Wisconsin, September is the busiest month of the year for records of: Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Black walnut, Chaga, Hen of the woods (maitake), King bolete. Records of Mulberries, Blackberries, raspberries and relatives, Hazelnuts drop below the listing line after August. "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.

‹ AugustOctober ›

Questions

What do foragers look for in Wisconsin in September?

In public records for Wisconsin, people most often report these in September: Black trumpets and other Craterellus, Black walnut, Chaga, Hen of the woods (maitake), King bolete, Lion's mane and other Hericium, Wild grapes, Chicken of the woods. 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 SeptemberMinnesota in SeptemberIowa in SeptemberIllinois in September

Wisconsin: the whole year · September 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, Wisconsin, 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, Wisconsin, 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 17 rows above are the species with at least 10% of their peak-month count, and at least 3 records, in September in Wisconsin. 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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