Understanding Orchid Awards on a Label
When you see letters like AM, HCC, or FCC after an orchid’s name on a label, they tell you about the flower’s quality as judged by experts. These letters stand for awards given by orchid societies. The most common ones come from the American Orchid Society, or AOS. The awards are based on a 100-point scale that judges use to score the flower’s appearance. This scale helps keep judging fair and consistent across different shows and regions.
What HCC Means
HCC stands for Highly Commended Certificate. It is given to an orchid that scores between 75 and 79 points on the 100-point scale for flower quality. This means the flower is very good but has minor flaws that keep it from reaching the next level. Think of it like a strong B+ in school — it shows solid quality and effort, but there’s room for improvement. An HCC is still a meaningful achievement, especially for newer growers or for species that are harder to bloom perfectly.
What AM Means
AM stands for Award of Merit. This award is given to orchids that score between 80 and 89 points on the same 100-point scale. An AM represents a high level of flower quality — strong color, good form, and overall appeal. It’s like earning an A- to B+ range in school. Many hobbyists aim for an AM as a sign they’ve mastered the basics of growing and blooming a particular orchid well. It shows the plant has been cared for skillfully and produced a flower that stands out in a show.
What FCC Means
FCC stands for First Class Certificate. This is the highest flower-quality award given by the AOS. It is awarded only to orchids that score 90 points or more on the 100-point scale. An FCC means the flower is exceptional — nearly perfect in color, shape, size, and texture. It’s the orchid equivalent of an A+ with distinction. Because it’s so hard to achieve, an FCC is a mark of excellence that breeders and collectors value highly. It often indicates a plant with outstanding genetics.
Cultural Awards: CCM and CCE
Not all awards are about the flower alone. Some recognize how well the plant has been grown. CCM stands for Certificate of Cultural Merit. It is given to the exhibitor — not just the plant — when the orchid shows strong health and good flowering, and the grower has had it in their care for at least 12 months. The plant must score between 80 and 89 points for culture, which means its leaves, roots, and overall vigor are excellent. CCE, or Certificate of Cultural Excellence, is the same but requires a culture score of at least 90 points. These awards honor the grower’s skill in providing the right light, water, air, and nutrients over time.
How Judging Works
Judges look at specific traits when scoring an orchid flower. They check color vibrancy — whether the hues are rich and clear. They look at the petals and sepals for shape, spacing, and any interesting patterns like spots or splashes. The lip — often the most showy part — is examined for color, form, and uniqueness. They also consider substance and texture — how thick and waxy the petals feel — and the arrangement of blooms on the stem. To become an official AOS judge takes years of training. Judges work in teams, and their scores are combined to decide if an award is warranted.
Why an Award Belongs to One Plant and Its Copies
An award does not apply to every plant of a hybrid name. It belongs only to the specific individual plant that was judged and won the award. That plant has a cultivar name — the part in single quotes, like ‘Red Rose’ or ‘Sundust’. The award stays with that exact plant and any mericlones made from it. Mericlones are genetically identical copies produced through laboratory tissue culture. Because they have the same DNA, they should produce flowers just as good as the original awarded plant. But a seed-grown sibling, even from the same parents, might not earn the same award — it could be better, worse, or different.
Real Examples from the Orkpedia Library
Looking at real plants helps make this clear. Brassolaeliocattleya Chia Lin ‘Red Rose’ earned an AM/AOS and a SM/JGP — meaning it won an Award of Merit from the AOS and a silver medal from the Japan Grand Prix International Orchid Festival. Cattleya violacea ‘Muse’ received an FCC/AOS — a First Class Certificate from the AOS, showing top-tier flower quality. Brassolaeliocattleya Irene Finney ‘York’ also got an AM/AOS. Cymbidium Golden Elf ‘Sundust’ scored an HCC/AOS, placing it in the 75 to 79 point range. Laeliocattleya Mem Robert Strait ‘Blue Hawaii’ received a JC/AOS — a Judges’ Commendation for a special trait the judges felt deserved notice, even if it didn’t fit the usual scoring. Other examples include Potinara Ahchung Yoyo ‘Little Goldfish’ with a BM/TOGA (a bronze medal from the Taiwan Orchid Growers Association), Brassolaeliocattleya Chun Yeah ‘Yellow Swallow’ with an AM/OSROC (from the Orchid Society of the Republic of China), and Vanda Robert’s Delight ‘Garnet Beauty’ with an FCC (implying FCC/AOS, though the society isn’t restated). Ascocenda Su-fun Beauty ‘Orange Belle’ earned an AM/AOS. These examples show how awards travel with the named cultivar and its clones, not the hybrid name alone.
Sources
Based on: aos.org · Wikipedia. Written and checked by the Orkpedia editors.