In short: Charleston Tea Garden is a tea grower in South Carolina, United States, according to Bigelow Tea: a Bigelow Tea legacy and South Carolina Department of Agriculture: Charleston Tea Garden.
Charleston Tea Garden grows tea in South Carolina, United States at about 21 m above sea level. The details on this page come from the grower's own published information and public sources (Bigelow Tea: a Bigelow Tea legacy and South Carolina Department of Agriculture: Charleston Tea Garden); the map pin marks the locality (Wadmalaw Island, near Charleston) rather than the estate itself.
What the Published Sources Say
- Bigelow Tea says the Charleston Tea Garden on Wadmalaw Island, South Carolina, is owned by Bigelow Tea and is America's largest working tea farm.
- The South Carolina Department of Agriculture says the grounds include 127 acres of Camellia sinensis plants and that the garden is the home of American Classic Tea.
- Bigelow Tea says Lipton began tea research on Wadmalaw Island in the 1960s, the garden was sold to Bill Hall by 1987, and the Bigelow family bought it in 2003 with Hall as local partner.
- Bigelow Tea says a harvester was invented specifically for the garden in 1970.
- The South Carolina Department of Agriculture says the garden offers a trolley tour and a tea factory tour with complimentary tastings, and sells tea on site.
- Bigelow Tea says the garden offers eight Charleston Tea Garden teas.
Sources: Bigelow Tea: a Bigelow Tea legacy, South Carolina Department of Agriculture: Charleston Tea Garden. TeaTrade has not tested or tasted this grower's tea; these are the grower's and publishers' own statements.
Terroir & Climate
Tea is a niche crop in the United States, grown by a small number of farms in the warm, humid south-east, the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes region and Hawaii. Mainland growers generally depend on sheltered sites, mild winters or protected cultivation, and plucking seasons tend to be shorter than in tropical origins.
The live forecast below tracks the current weather at the area's coordinates.
Tea Produced
Charleston Tea Garden is described as making black tea.
Operator
The business behind the estate is given as Bigelow Tea.
Location & Neighbouring Estates
Charleston Tea Garden is in South Carolina, United States; the map pin (32.67, -80.18) is approximate and marks the locality. Its 21 m elevation is the 15th highest of 16 estates we map in the United States. The nearest estates in the TeaTrade directory, measured point-to-point from this approximate pin, are:
- Table Rock Tea Company — 339 km away
- Fairhope Tea Plantation — 769 km away · Alabama
- The Great Mississippi Tea Company — 973 km away · Mississippi
- Fleur De Lis Tea Company — 1000 km away · Louisiana
- Light of Day Organics — 1429 km away · Michigan
Charleston Tea Garden Compared with the United States
In the United States, Charleston Tea Garden is wetter than 80% of the others by 2025 rainfall; lower than 93% of the others by elevation; cooler than 53% of the others by daytime temperature. The table sets Charleston Tea Garden against the 15 other estates we map in the United States, so you can see whether it is typical for its country or an outlier.
| Measure | Charleston Tea Garden | Country median | Country range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | 21 m | 291 m | 12 to 1,134 m |
| Annual rainfall (2025) | 1,265 mm | 1,182 mm | 426 to 1,436 mm |
| Mean daily high | 24.1 °C | 24.3 °C | 12.7 to 26.9 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 14.8 °C | 14.6 °C | 3.7 to 20.2 °C |
Observed Climate at Charleston Tea Garden (2025)
ERA5 reanalysis data modelled for Charleston Tea Garden’s coordinates recorded 1,265 mm of precipitation across calendar year 2025. The wettest month was August (309 mm) and the driest was November (13 mm). Daytime highs averaged 24.1 °C and overnight lows 14.8 °C over the year; July was the warmest month and January the coolest.
| Metric | 2025 value |
|---|---|
| Annual precipitation | 1,265 mm |
| Wettest month | August (309 mm) |
| Driest month | November (13 mm) |
| Mean daily high | 24.1 °C |
| Mean overnight low | 14.8 °C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Charleston Tea Garden located?
Charleston Tea Garden is in South Carolina, United States. The map pin (32.67, -80.18) is approximate and marks the locality rather than the estate, at an elevation of about 21 metres.
Who operates Charleston Tea Garden?
Charleston Tea Garden is operated by Bigelow Tea, according to the grower's published information.
What type of tea does Charleston Tea Garden produce?
Charleston Tea Garden is recorded as producing black tea.
How much rain does Charleston Tea Garden receive?
ERA5 reanalysis data for the estate's coordinates recorded 1,265 mm of precipitation in 2025, peaking in August (309 mm).
Data sources: the grower’s own published information and public sources (Bigelow Tea: a Bigelow Tea legacy, South Carolina Department of Agriculture: Charleston Tea Garden); climate figures are ERA5 reanalysis modelled for the area’s coordinates via Open-Meteo (calendar year 2025); the map pin is rounded to about 1 km and marks the locality, not the estate; elevation is a terrain-model value for that point. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].
