Orchids are some of the most highly evolved plants. With approximately 834 genera and 20,000 to 25,000 species, the Orchidaceae is the largest family of flowering plants. They reach their greatest diversity in the tropics, where they are often Epiphytic, meaning they grow upon other plants but do not gain nutrients or food from them.

Many terrestrial orchids grow in South Carolina. The Pink, Yellow, and Showy Lady's Slipper grows in the mountains of the Up State, while others, such as the Water-Spider Orchid, grow on the coastal plain.

The plant from which vanilla is extracted is a member of the orchid family. Although orchids grow in the wild, many people keep them as house plants. Some of the most commonly cultivated orchids are Cattleya, Dendrobium, Epidendrum, Cymbidium, and Vanda.