Not Many People Know The Official Tea Of The White House Is Grown Right Here In South Carolina

The process of growing tea commercially is task not easily accomplished. In fact, the only public tea garden in America is located right here in the Palmetto State. It's found on Wadmalaw Island and features 127 acres of tea plants that typically get harvested from May through October.

And while many people may have heard of the Charleston Tea Garden, few people know the tea grown here is the official tea of the White House.

Is that really such a big deal? Yes, it is. The White House plays host to leaders from around the world all year long — and our South Carolina tea is front and center when tea service is prepared for each of them.

It's the American Classic Tea brand that the White House favors — and it's only grown at Charleston Tea Garden.

But the tea garden also grows, harvests, dries, and packages nine other tea varieties under the Charleston Tea Plantation name.

The gift shop at the Tea Garden is a wonderful spot to sample the different varieties of tea before you buy. Try varieties like Carolina Mint, Rockville Raspberry, Plantation Peach, Earl Grey, Breakfast, and more. And also stock up on other tea-related gift items while you're browsing the displays and shelves.

Want to stroll out among the tea plants?

You can! The tea garden is open to the public and doesn't charge any admission fees. The tea is planted in neat rows, which makes harvesting with the Green Giant (seen here, hard at work) easy and accessing the plants so you can see and touch the leaves easy, too.

At the Charleston Tea Garden, visitors can also take a guided tour and see the manufacturing process of tea.

And for a nominal fee, hop aboard a trolley for a narrated tour of the 127-acre tea garden.

Enjoy air-conditioned comfort while touring the plantation without having to walk all around in the heat.

Did you know South Carolina is home to America's only public tea garden, or that the tea grown here is endorsed and served by the White House?

Have you ever visited the Charleston Tea Garden? It's a lovely drive to get out to it. You'll want to set aside at least a couple of hours to explore. Learn more by visiting the website for the Charleston Tea Garden.