The American Orchid Society grants awards to encourage and recognize meritorious achievement in all fields of orchid endeavors in accordance with the established rules set out in the Handbook on Judging and Exhibition.

There are awards for flower quality, excellence of culture, advancements in hybridizing, botanical interest and other recognition-worthy aspects. There are also prestigious specialty awards granted annually for exceptional plants singled out as the best of the best from each year's awards.

AD (Award of Distinction) and AQ (Award of Quality)These awards for breeding recognize worthy new trends and improved quality, respectively.

AM (Award of Merit)A flower scoring 80 to 89 points on a 100-point scale. This flower-quality award is a fine though lesser achievement than the FCC.

CBR (Certificate of Botanical Recognition)Awarded to rare and unusual species with educational interest. This award is granted provisionally and filed with the judging center Chair pending the exhibitor's supplying full taxonomic verification by a taxonomist acceptable to the AOS.

CCM (Certificate of Cultural Merit)The beginning orchid grower may hope to attain this award because it recognizes the grower, rather than flower quality. The CCM/AOS may be given more than once if the plant continues to thrive and increase in both the size and number of flowers.

CCE (Certificate of Cultural Excellence)This award further distinguishes growers of plants that exhibit an extreme degree of skill in cultivation, having received 90 points or more on the scale that has been used for the Certificate of Cultural Merit (CCM).

CHM (Certificate of Horticultural Merit)Awarded to a well-grown and well-flowered species or natural hybrid with characteristics that contribute to the horticultural aspects of orchidology, such as aesthetic appeal. This award is granted provisionally and filed with the judging center Chair pending the exhibitor's supplying full taxonomic verification by a taxonomist acceptable to the AOS.

FCC (First Class Certificate)The highest flower-quality award, given to flowers scoring 90 points or more on a 100-point scale.

HCC (Highly Commended Certificate)The HCC is granted to a flower scoring 75 to 79 points on a 100-point scale. The great majority of awarded orchids receive this award, which implies that, while the flower is outstanding, there is room for improvement.

JC (Judges' Commendation)Given for distinctive characteristics that the judges unanimously feel should be recognized but cannot be scored in the customary ways.