Orchids are fabulous plants that always attract attention. There are numerous temperate species (with Florida, the Great Lakes region, and the Carolinas having the largest numbers) and countless species in the tropics. The Orchidaceae are probably the largest plant family, with some 19,500 species. They are the subjects of a tremendous horticultural interest, with thousands of amateur and professional growers around the world. I would guess there are more books on orchids, both wild and cultivated, than any other category of plant subject.