The orchids are a large family of flowering plants, the Orchidaceae. They are herbaceous monocots.

There are between 22,000 and 26,000 species in 880 genera.[1][2] They make up between 6–11% of all seed plants. Orchids can be found in almost every country in the world except for Antarctica.[3]

People have grown orchids for a great number of years. They grow orchids for show, for science, or for food (for example, vanilla).

Some orchids have very special ways of pollination. For example, the Lady's Slipper can trap insects and make them pollinate the flower. Another instance is the Austrian orchid, which grows underground and is pollinated by ants.