[Columbia, SC] - Riverbanks Botanical Garden will host the South Carolina Orchid Society's February 10-12, 2006 orchid exhibition, Orchids on the Riverbank.

"Whether you're an orchid enthusiast or simply an interested green thumb, orchids have always fascinated folks because of the unusually large variety of species out there. There are over 25,000 different species of orchids and many gardeners enjoy discovering the many varieties for themselves," said Andy Cabe, curator of horticulture at Riverbanks Zoo and Garden. "The ones that'll be fascinating to see at Orchids on the Riverbank will be the large cattleya, an epiphytic genus that is native to tropical America, and thus more unusual in our climate."

Riverbanks Botanical Garden is actually already home to some terrestrial orchids. Of the approximately 140 orchid species that are native to North America, South Carolina is an orchid-rich state with 52 species growing in the state's wide range of habitats. Of those 52 species, 51 of them are terrestrial and a handful of them grow well and are native to the Midlands. Crane fly orchids can be found growing right on the banks of the Saluda River, near Riverbanks' Saluda River foot bridge and others like the lady's slipper orchid grow in the walled garden.

Closed judging will be held during the morning of Friday, February 10 before the show opens to the public on Friday afternoon. Orchids will be judged by two methods; ribbon judging, in which judging teams do not have to be certified by the American Orchid Society (AOS), will be followed by AOS accredited judging, which awards plants that are recognized as breaking precedence for their inflorescence, size, fullness, color and presentation. Scoring is based on a 100-point scale with the highest possible prize being a First Class Certificate, of which only a dozen are awarded worldwide annually.

The show opens to the public at noon on Friday and entry is free with paid admission to Riverbanks Botanical Garden. Saturday and Sunday hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to seeing exotic orchids from all over the world, guests will be able to attend educational seminars on basic orchid care, learn about local orchids that grow well in South Carolina's climate and meet with species specialists from across the region.

Four orchid vendors will also be on site selling orchids and orchid supplies: Seagrove Orchids out of Seagrove, NC, Carolina Orchids out of Fort Mill, SC, Carter & Holmes out of Newberry, SC and Steve Arthur Orchids out of Graniteville, SC. To learn more about orchids, visit the American Orchid Society at www.aos.org.

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