Many manufacturers are embracing new designs and sustainable solutions, with artificial plants becoming a popular, eco-friendly alternative to real greenery. The U.S. has one of the largest markets for artificial plants, with competition focused on innovation and sustainability.
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After thoroughly researching the market, I’ve identified the top contenders in the U.S. and globally. Following careful comparison, I compiled a list of the top 10 artificial plant manufacturers in the U.S. This article highlights what sets these leading companies apart and their specialties in the industry.
Type of Business: Artificial Plant design and retail
Location (Headquarters): Florida, USA
Year Founded:
Products offered: Artificial trees, plants, and flowers
Website：www.nearlynatural.com
What I find fascinating about Nearly Natural is that they were the first artificial floral company to hire designers with real plant experience, which is why their products look so lifelike. Their dedication to detail stands out—they even travel globally to hand-pick the best options for color and texture accuracy.
Another unique aspect is their deep-rooted history, going back 75 years to their founder, a renowned horticulturist.This legacy influences their designs today, with each product undergoing strict quality checks to ensure it mirrors the beauty of live plants.
Type of Business: Artificial Plant Factory
Location (Headquarters): Dongguan
Year Founded:
Products offered: Custom Artificial Plants, Faux Trees and Silk Flowers
Website：https://artificialplantssupplier.com/
FeelReal’s decades of experience and strong reputation have solidified our position as a top manufacturer worldwide, including in the U.S. market. We are recognized as a leading brand thanks to our commitment to delivering real-touch, custom designs that our clients love. Being among the best is not just about sales—it’s about crafting products that truly resonate with our customers and meet their specific needs.
Product range covers all artificial greenery needs:
Artificial Trees: UV-resistant palms, olive trees, ficus, and tropical varieties (indoor/outdoor).
Vertical Gardens: Modular plant walls for offices, hotels, and urban spaces.
Hedges & Topiaries: Privacy screens, geometric designs, and custom shapes.
Floral Arrangements: Silk flowers, succulents, and seasonal décor (weddings/events).
Landscaping Solutions: Artificial grass, faux boxwood mats, and large-scale garden installations.
Custom Landscape Project Solutions: Bespoke designs for theme parks, water resorts, and architectural landscapes.
Outdoor Artificial Trees with UV Protection & Fire Retardant Properties
Large-Scale Commercial Installations for Hotels, Resorts, Malls, and Offices
We serve clients globally, and while some companies cut corners on quality, we focus on providing durable, UV-resistant products at competitive prices. Our clients value longevity and design, making our products a favorite for custom projects worldwide.
Type of Business: Artificial Plant Supplier
Location (Headquarters): Minnesota, USA
Year Founded:
Products Offered: Artificial trees, plants, and foliage for commercial spaces
Website: www.commercialsilk.com
I’m impressed by how this company leads in creating custom artificial plant and tree solutions for commercial spaces. Their products are featured in hotels, malls, and corporate offices nationwide. What truly stands out to me is their expertise in large-scale installations and their ability to customize solutions for unique architectural and design needs.
Another feature that makes them a top choice is their use of fire-retardant materials, ensuring both safety and style for businesses. This focus on customization and safety makes them a go-to for commercial properties.
Type of Business: Artificial Plants Supplier
Location (Headquarters): Ohio, USA
Year Founded:
Products Offered: Artificial trees, plants, foliage, and floral decorations
Website: www.autographfoliages.com
I’ve discovered some interesting aspects about Autograph Foliages that make them stand out. They are a family-owned business, started in , and now run by five of the founder’s six children, which adds a personal touch to everything they do. This tight-knit family approach has helped them build strong, lasting relationships with their customers over the years.
Another fun fact is their impressive range of seasonal decorations, particularly their life-size Christmas ornaments like Nutcrackers and Santa’s Sleigh. Combined with their fire-retardant plants and pre-lit LED Christmas trees, they offer unique products that cater to large commercial spaces, making holiday displays truly special.
Type of Business: Artificial Plant, Flower, and Decor Wholesaler
Location (Headquarters): New York, USA
Year Founded:
Products Offered: Artificial plants, flowers, trees, and event decor
Website: www.jamaligarden.com
What I love Jamali Garden is how their selection is influenced by global craftsmanship, offering items like mercury glass from India and hand-thrown pottery from Italy and Tunisia. Their international approach to design gives every event or setting a truly unique and exotic feel.
Another thing that stands out is their focus on supporting event planners, florists, and designers. They offer large quantities of decor at wholesale prices, perfect for creating stunning weddings, parties, and themed events. Plus, their products are readily available for shipment, making them a go-to resource for anyone looking to add a special touch to their event.
Type of Business: Artificial Plant and Tree Manufacturer
Location: Minneapolis, USA
Year Founded:
Products Offered: Silk trees, flowers, foliage, and arrangements
Website: www.silkplantsdirect.com
I’ve learned some different things about Silk Plants Direct. Unlike many other companies, they began in the live plant industry but transitioned to silk plants in the s after recognizing the difficulties customers had with maintaining live plants. Today, it is known for producing high-quality silk plants, supplying hospitals, offices, hotels, etc.
This shift allowed them to meet client needs for low-maintenance, cost-effective greenery. Their dedicated on-site customer service team ensures that each client gets personalized attention, from product selection to shipping.
Type of Business: Artificial Flowers and Plants Retailer
Location (Headquarters): New York, USA
Products Offered: Silk flowers, faux plants, wedding decor
Website: www.afloral.com
I really admire Afloral’s commitment to sustainability. They focus on eco-friendly products, like reusable florals and vases, and their effort to reduce plastic in shipping, aiming for 95% plastic-free, reflects their genuine care for the environment.
I’m also struck by their unique design approach. Each product is carefully curated and tested by a small team, ensuring that everything they offer is both unique and high-quality. This combination of sustainability and thoughtful design is what truly makes Afloral stand out to me.
Type of Business: Artificial Plant, Tree, and Seasonal Decor Wholesalers
Location (Headquarters): Minnesota, USA
Year Founded:
Products Offered: Artificial plants, trees, Christmas trees, and seasonal decor
Website: www.vickerman.com
Vickerman Company has been a trusted name in seasonal decorations since , known for their high-quality artificial Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands. They also offer year-round products like artificial trees and floral arrangements, making them a reliable choice for retailers and wholesalers.
What impresses me most is their excellent customer service. They provide expert guidance and a smooth experience for wholesale clients, with a strong commitment to quality and support that truly sets them apart in the decor industry.
Type of Business: Artificial Plant Importer & Wholesaler
Location (Headquarters): New Jersey, USA
Year Founded:
Products Offered: Artificial Christmas trees, wreaths, garlands, and year-round artificial plants
Website: www.nationaltree.com
What stands out to me about National Tree Company is their reputation for producing first-class artificial Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands. Beyond that, their expansion into year-round seasonal decor is impressive, offering items for Spring, Summer, Fall, and holidays like Easter and Halloween.
I’m impressed by how their focus on innovation and customer satisfaction keeps them ahead in the industry. They consistently adapt to customer needs, offering versatile, premium products for any season or occasion, making them a top choice for holiday and seasonal decor.
Type of Business: Artificial plants manufacturer and supplier
Location (Headquarters): California, USA
Year Founded:
Products Offered: Artificial plants, trees, flowers, green walls
Website: www.artificialplantsunlimited.com/
What really strikes me about Artificial Plants Unlimited is their ability to deliver highly customized solutions. Whether it’s a simple boxwood hedge or a towering 20-foot tree, they excel at bringing unique designs to life. Their attention to personalized details ensures that each project aligns perfectly with the client’s vision and stands out visually.
Their expert team provides guidance, custom quotes, and a smooth experience from concept to completion. This commitment to both creativity and customer service makes even the most ambitious projects come together effortlessly.
These top 10 artificial plant manufacturers in the U.S. have earned their reputation by offering high-quality, lifelike products that cater to a variety of tastes and spaces. Whether you’re looking for sophisticated luxury, budget-friendly decor, or large-scale custom installations, these companies provide an impressive range of options for anyone seeking to enhance their environment with artificial greenery.
By Joanne Chen
Joanne Chen is an editor on the home-decor team. She edits articles on couches, lamps, plants, and anything else that makes a house a home.
Lush fiddle-leaf figs. Beachy palms. In the forest of faux, all is possible, or so it seems. As it turns out, even the prettiest options online tend to be underwhelming in real life.
Still, if you’re willing to manage expectations, we found a few good options for a faux money tree, a fiddle-leaf fig, an olive tree, a bird of paradise, a palm tree, and a monstera.
I’m the senior editor on the home-decor team, and I am constantly on the hunt, both personally and professionally, for decor items that add warmth and joy to the home. For this guide:
I came into this project with high hopes—experts I interviewed and all the blogs I read convinced me that fake plants had come a long way in recent years. And yet so far I haven’t been blown away by my options.
Prices vary widely for both real trees and artificial trees (depending on the type and size of a tree, the quality, and where you shop), so it’s hard to make direct comparisons. A live 3-gallon fiddle-leaf fig tree (between 2 and 3 feet tall) at Home Depot sells for about $90, and it has the potential to grow to around 7 feet. At Bloomscape, a live 3- to 4-foot fiddle-leaf fig is about $265 (including a $35 pot). As for fake trees, the 5-foot fiddle-leaf fig from Nearly Natural costs roughly $80 to $100 at Home Depot; at West Elm, a fake tree of a similar size normally costs around $250.
Generally speaking, pricier artificial trees look more authentic than cheaper trees. But even though a $200 fake tree might look slightly more convincing than a $100 option, it’s not necessarily twice as nice. Being preternaturally frugal, I set out to find a few reasonably priced artificial trees (under $200 or, if possible, under $100) that I’d proudly display in my home. Anything more than that seemed too steep, especially for something that’s a pain to return. This list is by no means comprehensive, but I’ll add to it as I continue shopping.
For each tree, I noted how it was shipped—whether it came out of the box misshaped, whether it was easy to straighten out, whether it had odd smells. I scrutinized and tugged at the trunk, twigs, and leaves, and I compared them with the real thing online or in real life. I bent the twigs and branches to note how pliable they are, so you can arrange them according to preference. I viewed them in sunlight and a dark corner, and I pored over the fine print on return policies.
Because large plants, both real and fake, can be pricey, it’s especially important to be honest with yourself. Are you a serial plant killer? Is your heart set on a particular Instagram darling with needs you and your home climate can’t provide? Can you make peace with the inconvenient truth that only real things can look and feel absolutely real? If you answered yes to one or more of these, then you might consider getting a faux plant. Also, if you are allergic or have a child or pet who might endanger a real plant (or vice versa), then an inorganic nature-surrogate may be worth considering.
But maybe you get enjoyment and satisfaction out of nurturing greenery—watering a plant just so, persevering through the wilty-leafed rough patches, placing it wherever the light is right (even if that’s not some corner dead space or on a bookshelf you’re trying to spruce up), and letting your home environment (as opposed to home-decor blogs) dictate the type of plant you buy. If that’s you, then you’ll probably prefer a real plant.
You have to drop some real money for this fake money tree. But it’s flush with leaves and looks welcoming and realistic, even from a short distance.
For those with a flexible budget, the 5-foot CB2 Faux Potted Money Plant’s looks outweigh its faults. If you have a CB2 nearby, you can check out the tree in a store before you plunk down all that cash.
The leaves can pass as real. That’s the advantage of smaller leaves. “The larger the leaf, the more visible the errors. Also, our eyes are trained to recognize the difference between fibrous materials and plastics,” said Marc Hachadourian, director of glasshouse horticulture at the New York Botanical Garden at the time of our interview. The leaves on the CB2 faux money tree (Pachira aquatica) had some nice detailing and a slight sheen, similar to what you’d find in a live version.
They’re plentiful, too. Though not 100% lifelike overall, this plant did bring an otherwise sterile-looking showroom to life.
The feel of the leaves isn’t quite right. It reminded me of the texture of those tear-resistant packing envelopes. And, as with the leaves of most fake plants, they don’t bend as fluidly as the real thing.
The trunk looked plasticky. But only if you look really closely.
It’s not cheap. The price of the CB2 money plant is at the very high end of what I’d pay for an artificial tree. (A beautiful smaller, live version costs about $170 at Bloomscape.) Legend has it that planting a money tree in your home will bring you good luck—but no word on the effects of the faux variety. And shipping is a hefty $90, but CB2 does offer the option of free pickup from its stores.
Expect to spend time dusting this tree. Like other full, small-leafed trees (real or fake), the CB2 money tree has more surface area for dust to fall on.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Artificial Green Plants Manufacturer. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
The leaves look and feel synthetic when scrutinized up close. But give it some distance, and this full fiddle-leaf fig can liven up an otherwise sterile-looking room.
The popularity of this Instagram-favorite variety may have long peaked, but I’m still fond of the finicky fiddle-leaf fig tree (Ficus lyrata), which hails from the tropical rainforests of West Africa. To my eye, the Nearly Natural 54″ Fiddle Leaf Artificial Tree (Real Touch) is just full enough, and endearingly, it looks straight out of The Lorax.
The tops of the leaves look quite alive. This is the case even if you’re less than a foot away—especially with light streaming through them. When I showed the Nearly Natural artificial fiddle-leaf fig over Zoom to Rebekah Gross, then a senior account and project manager at Plantshed, she noted the adequate detailing and the shiny finish, which resemble the waxy look of a real fiddle-leaf fig.
It’s relatively inexpensive. The cost of the Nearly Natural fiddle-leaf fig is usually less than or about half the price of a 5-foot option at West Elm or Artiplanto (the latter of which kept toppling over and had a strong chemical smell out of the box). If you’re spending lots of up-close time with this plant, it may bum you out as much as browning leaves on a real plant. But we have yet to find a large-size fiddle-leaf that truly looks and feels real to us.
The leaves, up close, don’t completely look right. As we found with most big-leafed plants we inspected (including the Faux Potted Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree from West Elm), the underside of the leaves on the Nearly Natural tree looks completely flat and artificial when sunshine isn’t streaming through them.
Nor do they feel right. The Nearly Natural tree’s “real touch” claim seems to refer to the real feel of a child’s inflatable raft, rather than that of a tropical leaf. Annoyingly, the manufacturer’s site calls its plants “silk.” Yet its FAQ page admits—rather vaguely—that even though artificial plants today evolved from actual silk plants, most are composed of “high quality, man-made materials.”
It has imperfections. A couple of leaves on the tree we received directly from Nearly Natural had tiny holes in them (were they meant to look like those bitten by bugs?), and a couple of the leaf veins peeled off easily from the tips. We reached out to Nearly Natural to see if we got a dud specimen or if the features were intentional, but we never received an explanation. Because of our lackluster experience with Nearly Natural’s site, we recommend ordering offerings from this company on Amazon for better replacement options.
The tiny plastic pot is also a sure sign of a fake. You may want to find a nicer one to place your tree in.
We could do without the fake olives. The wispy leaves are a convincing dupe of the real thing, however, and create a charming rustic effect.
Many faux olive trees are often too pricey, too sparse, or too … faux. The StyleWell 4ft Faux Olive Tree in White Pot, which we found at Home Depot, has its faults, too. But, for a fraction of the price of a similarly sized olive tree at West Elm, it has a nice shape, with a generous spray of the silver-green leaves that make these trees look so ethereal.
The leaves look alive from a close distance. Subtle veins line the dark-green tops of the leaves, and they fill out the branches in an appealingly generous way.
The trunk and branches look decently realistic, too. They’re slim and slightly gnarled, similar to the smaller Olea europaea trees you might see in real life—though, here, a subtle sheen suggests that they’re indeed artificial.
It comes with a white pot. It’s plastic, not ceramic, but attractive in its simplicity.
Hold the olives, please. They’re too perfect to be convincing. But you can always cut them off.
It has a few fake giveaways. The undersides of the StyleWell olive tree’s leaves are a silver-light-green color, like that of the real thing. But the plasticky midrib (the vein that runs prominently in the center of the leaf) hints at the tree’s synthetic make. If you look closely, you’ll also see slightly ragged (as opposed to clean) leaf edges and an inelegant connection between the two plastic pieces that make up its trunk.
More like a sculptural work of art than a live plant, this take on the bird of paradise features exquisite leaf details and a rather appealing trunk. The return policy is not great, however.
If you prefer stems and leaves that arch as gracefully as they do in real bird of paradise plants, you might be disappointed. But if you’re looking for something satisfyingly sturdy and full, the 3-foot Artiplanto Zapo Artificial Bird of Paradise Potted Plant can liven up an empty wall or forgotten corner.
The leaf detailing is striking. Although, admittedly, the midrib looks plasticky, each leaf as a whole on this version of the sun-loving bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) looks almost painted on, even at the underside of the leaf—so you might consider it a work of art. You’ll also find splits, which also exist in nature. “It’s an evolutionary trait that lets wind pass through, making the plant look more like the real thing,” said Vickie Christensen, master gardener at Léon & George.
The stem is pretty attractive, too. Real bark is incorporated at the stem, for an authentic look. The texture, which kind of feels like corn husks, is less off-putting than most.
The leaves lack a sheen. Though the leaves’ texture feels at least somewhat organic, their surface looks matte and lacks the subtle gloss of real-life leaves.
The stems are stiff. It’s almost too hard for them to arch gracefully. (I wedged a football between the stems overnight to coax them apart.) In nature, Christensen said, “The leaves on this plant are large and quite heavy, and keeping them that erect is pretty unrealistic once it gets to this size.”
The return policy is limited. If you’re buying in Canada, you must ship it back within 14 days to get a full refund. The same goes for US customers, but you must pay the return shipping fee, which can get hefty. (The site does not explicitly say this, but an e-chat with customer service confirmed the policy.)
A bird of paradise plant only in name, it lacks the details found in the real thing. Still, its lovely curves and pretty green leaves add style to any space.
West Elm’s Faux Potted Bird of Paradise Plant touts the graceful curves that the Artiplanto Zapo Artificial Bird of Paradise Potted Plant lacks—but it doesn’t have the realistic details.
It has elegant lines and soft arches. Combined with its lush green shade, this plant’s loose and easy looks add a sense of calm and relaxation to its surrounding space.
You don’t have to repot it. Its white plastic container is generously sized and nice enough to look at. (You also have the option of buying the West Elm bird of paradise with an attractive, legit planter, but the combo costs twice as much.)
It’s seriously unnatural-looking. The experts we consulted found the West Elm bird of paradise less authentic-looking than the Artiplanto bird of paradise we recommend. It lacks an actual trunk, and up close the leaves have undersides that look more fake than that of the Artiplanto plant, with a texture that reminds me of vinyl stickers.
The fronds may be slightly crinkly, but they’re vibrant and full. We also like this palm tree’s realistic trunk and overall sense of beachy fun.
If you like the wild and unruly look from afar, the Nearly Natural 4′ Single Stalk Golden Cane Artificial Palm Tree is “pretty realistic,” said Christensen. But if you’re spending time up close with it, the crinkly leaves may get on your nerves, especially on cleaning day.
It doesn’t skimp. With its generous burst of fronds, this take on a golden palm tree (Dypsis lutescens) transported me to a bohemian tropical hideaway more so than its sparser, primmer competitors did.
Even the trunks look decent. They’re arguably even better than the leaves and definitely look less plasticky than those on most palm trees we’ve seen.
It’s priced better than others we’ve seen. West Elm offers a tidier, tamer palm, but it was more than twice the price, and its leaf texture reminded me of grosgrain ribbon. Even more expensive was Pottery Barn’s wispy Faux Potted Kentia Palm, which we didn’t assess because of the price (almost $280 for the small size).
The fronds aren’t realistic up close. Their texture reminds me of a fabric ribbon, and (depending on the light) they can look like one, too. “They’re crinkly, while real leaves are smooth,” said Christensen, inspecting photographs I sent via . I also wish the veins were more delicate-looking.
You need to avoid a bird’s-eye view. If you look down, you might notice that the tree has a hollow opening—a dead giveaway that the plant is fake (and if you didn’t catch that, the tiny plastic pot would clue you in).
Full-fronded palms are a pain to dust. “The more surface area, the more places the dust can settle,” said Miriam Diamond, a University of Toronto professor of earth sciences who has published numerous papers on dust.
The holes look obviously machine-made, and yet there’s something delightful about the chubby, sturdy leaves on this plant.
We have yet to find a monstera (or any large-leafed plant, for that matter) whose leaves have the delicate look, feel, and detailing of real ones. If you don’t mind thinking of the IKEA Fejka Indoor/Outdoor Monstera Artificial Potted Plant as a cute decorative item, as opposed to something you seriously want to pass as real, then you might be happy with it.
It’s among the cheaper options of its kind. Monsteras that look and feel real are hard to come by. At least this IKEA 35.5-inch “Swiss cheese plant” (Monstera deliciosa), which I spotted in the store, was a relatively affordable $70. By comparison, the 3-foot West Elm version—which has an admittedly nicer shape and more leaves but a similar plastic-toy feel—cost $250. The petite Pottery Barn Faux Potted Monstera Plant, at 26 inches, also had a fake feel at about $150.
It has some nice detailing. We like that you can see tiny veins up close, just as you would a real monstera leaf. The whimsical shape is somewhat reminiscent of Henri Matisse’s paper cutouts, which we find charming.
The leaves’ texture reminded me of that of a rubber ducky. Those on a real monstera are more delicate and refined, but IKEA’s version has a pliable, plasticky feel to it. With poor lighting, it could look plasticky, too. The holes are obviously man-made.
As a whole, you definitely won’t mistake it for a real plant. When we ran pictures of this plant by our panel of experts, they weren’t impressed. And, admittedly, the leaves do look somewhat cookie-cutter compared with the leaves on a real plant, which have quite a bit of variation.
Scientific research is scarce on how buying a fake tree versus a live one might affect the environment. As we briefly discuss in our guide to artificial Christmas trees, one report we found leans toward live Christmas trees being greener in the short run, with fake ones being less environmentally harmful the longer you use them. There may be a break-even point at which the purchase of an artificial tree is equivalent to a certain number of natural trees. But it’s unclear where that point might be for the Christmas sort or otherwise, said Travis Wagner, a professor in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the University of Southern Maine. He points out it’s likely substantial, though, given that many artificial trees end up in the landfill, whereas natural trees can be composted.
It’s reasonable to think that when it comes to non-Christmas trees, purchasing a live plant as opposed to a fake one makes even more eco-sense. A real fiddle-leaf fig, for instance, is displayed year-round indefinitely, instead of being tossed after a month, and it can also be replanted or composted. Because it doesn’t spend most of the year in a box, a fake fiddle leaf fig is exposed to daily wear and tear and therefore may not last as long as a fake Christmas tree. But this all assumes that the real tree stays healthy and thrives—and we know that’s not always guaranteed.
A fake plant’s true eco-quotient may, in fact, depend on the characteristics of its real-life counterpart. Many popular species, such as the fiddle-leaf figs, can be “finicky,” New York Botanical Garden’s Marc Hachadourian said. “They might need more light and humidity than can be provided in a typical apartment. And when they’re not happy, they make a dramatic exit. Their leaves drop quickly.” If you’re continually killing and replacing them, it may be more sustainable—not to mention more economical—to buy a single, good-quality artificial plant instead.
As a Vox article points out, the live-plant industry isn’t entirely carbon-neutral either, given the massive amounts of energy required to run a facility and the disruption of the land’s original diverse habitat. Perhaps a more-earth-friendly way to bring green into your home is to take a cue from Miriam Diamond, whose collection started out, in part, as mere clippings from friends’ plants. Granted, this is easier to do with small plants, as opposed to large trees.
As with most things in life, the notion of everything in moderation may work best here. Get the “right [real] plant for the right place” whenever possible, Hachadourian said. When it comes to live plants, consider hardy varieties that are more likely to forgive you if you leave them in a dark corner or forget to water them, such as a snake plant, a cast-iron plant, or a peace lily.
For a space where a plant probably won’t thrive but you’d like to have one there anyway, find an artificial version that you think is equally adorable, despite its flaws. Take good care of it by handling it gently and dusting frequently. Don’t leave it in your yard or on a porch if it’s not meant for outdoor use. “Mix and match,” said Ralph Portillano, who was a senior design manager at Plantshed at the time of our interview and is also a horticulturist. “Don’t try to fight evolution.”
Unfortunately, fake plants made from plastics mixed with other materials can’t be recycled unless you manage to take the whole thing apart. And even then, depending on the quality of the materials, they may not always be recyclable. So in a decade, if you’re ready to move on, you could simply donate your fake tree and let it bring joy to someone else.
With soft lighting and the perfect angle, retailers can make any sad artificial tree look like a beauty. But fake plants require a hard reality check. Whether you’re buying in-store or shopping online, keep the following things in mind.
To assess our favorites, we took our own photographs of the plants we collected and asked Léon & George master gardener Vickie Christensen to review them. We also asked Ralph Portillano and Rebekah Gross, then senior design manager and senior project manager at Plantshed, respectively, to assess the plants’ appearances via Zoom. You can also get a good idea of a plant’s credibility by googling images of the real thing and comparing them with what you’re considering buying. Pay especially close attention to:
The underside of the leaves: Make sure they’re the right color and that the manufacturer hasn’t skimped on the detailing. “This is an area that can be very telling,” Meg Callahan, a brand manager at Afloral at the time of our interview said. (Afloral sells small artificial plants, but not trees.)
The trunk: Is it notched and textured, or smooth, like the real thing? Make sure that the color more or less matches, too. “Higher-end options often have real bark at the base to make it look realistic,” Portillano said.
Twigs and stems: Note how the color of a real plant transitions from twig to stem. On some very-fake-looking plants, instead of a gradual shift from brown to green between twig and stem, a leaf is simply stuck onto the twig, like a pen cap.
It’s easy to assess texture in-store. For online purchases, read the reviews to learn about any recurring issues, and choose only those plants that come with a generous return policy.
Don’t be fooled by plants described as “silk.” The term has, confusingly, been used by the industry to refer to any artificial plant, and most are made with polyester or plastic (or some combination of the two). We’ve come across textures that reminded us of a hard-plastic toy and rubber rafts, despite their realistic looks. Sadly, your only choice (at least in the $50 to $200 range) is between “not great but I can deal” and “I just can’t.” Granted, we don’t expect artificial plant textures to be like the real thing. But if they’re especially terrible, it’s really hard to dismiss, even if you’re not planning on touching them often.
Reading reviews and checking for a helpful return policy are, again, key. Here are a few common issues we’ve noticed as we combed reviews online or gave leaves a gentle tug in person:
Falling leaves: Leaves coming apart from the stems is a common complaint on retailers’ websites. This is especially problematic if you have young children or pets, but it’s also just annoying when you’re dusting.
Detachable veins: We’ve encountered poorly embedded veins that can be pulled from the leaves as easily as a peel-off sticker.
Fading colors: This is more of an issue if you plan to put your plant outside or in direct sunlight. Plants designed for the outdoors will say so and are often treated with a special coating. We will keep an eye on the trees we recommend and report back on whether they maintain their vibrancy over time.
Fake plants have come a long way in the past few years, but even the best of them could benefit from some improvements out of the box.
Pay attention to scale: Whether it’s fake or real, a plant will look more appealing if it’s in proportion to the room. For instance, a 7-footer might look too tall in a room with low ceilings. “You don’t want the plant to eat the space,” Portillano said.
Complement the look: Melissa Welsh, an interior designer in the San Francisco Bay area, said when she’s working on a home, she first considers the style of a room. “If it’s bohemian and laid-back, then a palm or fiddle-leaf fig might work, but if it’s a more traditional look, I might go for a more classic ficus or fern,” she explained.
Place the plant near natural light: Not only do streams of light give fake plants a pretty glow, but the placement suggests that your specimen is real, requiring sunshine to look as great as it does. “The light lets you see the details in the leaves,” Gross said.
Fluff it like you mean it: Many of the plants get woefully flat during shipping, and I’ve found that they require some almost aggressive twisting and turning to look full. I’ve even placed a football between branches overnight to open them up. “Bend and let it breathe,” Callahan told me.
“Plant” into a new pot: Unless you’re paying for a nice container that comes with the plant, you’re typically stuck with hard fake soil in a flimsy container. “That little plastic pot is a tell-tale sign that the plant is fake,” said Gross. So upgrade the planter, use real soil, and you’ll likely see a big difference. Place the cheap container in a more-substantial one, stuffing the sides with old newspapers. Create a cardboard, doughnut-shaped platform (as this blog post instructs), place it around the tree, and then add a neat pile of potting soil.
Dust diligently: This is the one job required of you when you have an artificial plant. Dusting regularly—start at the top and work your way down—helps the leaves gleam and look that much more real.
These plants looked great online, but when I saw them in person, I just couldn’t imagine a future with them.
Artiplanto’s Fafa Artificial Fiddle Leaf Potted Plant (5 feet) kept toppling over, and it had a strong chemical scent out of the box.
Artiplanto’s Oli Artificial Olive Tree Potted Plant (2.6 feet) was lovely from afar, but the underside of the leaves lacked color. The leaves also kept falling off.
Artiplanto’s Philo Artificial Philodendron Potted Plant (39 inches) had almost too much leaf detail and felt stiff, and the stems were hard to pull apart. I imagine this is what Flat Stanley would look like if he were a plant.
Pottery Barn Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree (5.4 feet) lacked fullness, and the leaves reminded me of rip-stop nylon. The trunk looked plasticky, too. For the price, I expected more.
West Elm’s Faux Potted Fiddle Leaf Fig Plant (5 feet) looked attractive from afar, but the leaves felt rough, like the fiddle-leaf fig tree from Pottery Barn. Again, I expected more for the price.
West Elm’s Faux Potted Monstera (3 feet), which I looked at in-store, had leaves that seemed slightly more refined and varied than those on the IKEA Fejka plant, but they still felt like plastic sheets. Even on sale, I’m almost sure I’d be struck with buyer’s remorse.
West Elm’s Faux Potted Palm Tree (4 feet), which I saw in-store, was appealing, but it seemed too sparse, and the texture of the leaves was too ribbon-like given the higher price. But some may like this one for the same reason I liked West Elm’s bird of paradise.
This article was edited by Daniela Gorny.
Meg Callahan, brand manager, Afloral, interview , March 9,
Vickie Christensen, certified master gardener, Léon & George, interview , July 20,
Miriam Diamond, professor in the Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto’s School of the Environment, interview , September 1,
Rebekah Gross, senior account and project manager, Plantshed, Zoom interview , July 21,
Marc Hachadourian, director of glasshouse horticulture and senior curator of orchids, New York Botanical Garden, interview , July 24,
Ralph Portillano, senior design manager, Plantshed, Zoom interview , July 21,
Travis Wagner, professor, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, University of Southern Maine, interview , August 27,
Melissa Welsh, owner, Welsh Design Studio, interview , March 31,
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