city in South Carolina
Honey bee forage in Greenville, South Carolina
Estimated forage here is better than about 77% of sites in South Carolina. Spring, summer and fall all rank about the same against other South Carolina sites. Biggest nearby bee crops: cotton (nearest 3.2 mi SW, grown 1 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Greenville?
- First forage: Jan 16 (dandelion)
- Main flow: Feb 16 to May 31, peaking late Mar (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion)
- Fall flow: Jun 16 to Aug 15 (clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers)
- Season ends: Sep 30
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Greenville, 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 20.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): garden flowers, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion; extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Fall honey (September to November): garden flowers
- Whole season (March to November): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, garden flowers, lindens / basswood; 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
- Cotton: about 1 acres in a typical year, nearest 3.2 mi SW, blooms early Jul – late Aug (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 Greenville
Mostly: Developed, open space (parks, large lots, lawns); Developed, low intensity (houses and yards); Developed, medium intensity.
Nearest mapped water: mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.19 mi SW; creek, wetland or wet meadow 0.7 mi E.
Things to watch
- Heavily developed. About 96% of the land within a mile is developed. Less room for forage, and more neighbors near the hives.
How Greenville ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 74th | 92nd | 45th | 38th |
| South Carolina | 77th | 78th | 86th | 87th |
| Piedmont | 86th | 83rd | 77th | 96th |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Greenville: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Dunean 4 mi · Wade Hampton 4 mi · Judson 4 mi · City View 4 mi · Gantt 4 mi · Sans Souci 5 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 Greenville (34.8369, -82.363); 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.