community in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Cherokee Falls, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 17% of sites in South Carolina. Against other South Carolina sites it ranks highest in summer (42nd percentile) and lowest in spring (25th). Biggest nearby bee crops: soybeans (nearest 2.6 mi NW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Cherokee Falls?
- First forage: Jan 16 (early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard))
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, early trees (maple, willow, poplar), dandelion)
- Season ends: Aug 31
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Cherokee Falls, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on Mar 27.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster), garden flowers; amber
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard), dandelion, summer-flowering shrubs; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Soybeans: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 2.6 mi NW, blooms early May – late Jul (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Cherokee Falls
Mostly: Southern Piedmont Dry Oak Forest; Southeastern Native Ruderal Forest; Eastern Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland.
Nearest mapped water: pond, lake or river 0.04 mi W; open water 0.07 mi SW.
How Cherokee Falls ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 38th | 74th | 22nd | 12th |
| South Carolina | 17th | 25th | 42nd | 41st |
| Piedmont | 20th | 24th | 29th | 60th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
About 81% of the land here is scored with national averages for its vegetation type rather than measured plant cover, so the wild-plant part of this estimate is rougher than the crop part.
The national forage map around Cherokee Falls: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Blacksburg 4 mi · East Gaffney 5 mi · Gaffney 7 mi · Smyrna 8 mi · Hickory Grove 9 mi · Sharon 14 mi
All towns in South Carolina · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Cherokee Falls (35.0639, -81.5445); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.