A Trusted Friend in a Complicated World
Updated on Sep. 30, 2024
Don't exactly have a green thumb? Not to worry—here are the best fake plants you can buy that will elevate your home's style with nary a watering can in sight.
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When you want to brighten up your home or office, the best place to start is a plant! They bring loveliness, vibrancy and a sense of serenity to a space. Even the humblest indoor plants are shown to offer both mental and physical health benefits, not to mention the aesthetic effect. However, the best fake plants might be a better option for you, because living plants can be a lot of work, and not everybody has a green thumb. Just ask anyone who has ever tried to revive a dead plant.
Do you have allergies or pets who eat everything? Maybe you travel regularly for work or live in dark rooms where even low light houseplants can’t thrive. There’s no shortage of reasons to prevent you from having real plants at home. But the good news is that you can still be the plant parent you’ve always wanted to be. The solution? Fake plants!
That’s right, artificial plants are having a serious moment. What’s not to love? Faux plants won’t ever outgrow their plant stands or require a watering schedule. They’re always drought-tolerant. Plastic and fabric leafy greens have come a long way, and fake house plants can compete with any living foliage for realism. You can even place them in the elaborate indoor plant pots you bought for living plants. So, consider these best fake plants to make your home more warm, welcoming and wonderful.
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What makes this faux dracaena plant the best fake plant is how real it looks and feels. It was designed and crafted so that, when guests touch its leaves, they’ll think it’s a living plant! You might just forget it’s not one of your air-purifying plants. A real plant of this size and quality normally costs a pretty penny, but this one is reasonably priced, and you can enjoy it season after season with no upkeep. (Spoiler alert: you’ll no longer need plant care apps!)
This striking faux plant is 43 inches tall and brimming with fresh-looking, vivid green foliage that stretches out in all directions. It really fills a space without looking bulky. Like many of the best fake plants, it comes in a black pot that you can easily swap out for a decorative container or basket to beautify its overall look and help it stand out even more.
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Looking for affordable small indoor plants? Here’s one that’s within nearly anyone’s decor budget. Hoya plants are known for their thick, waxy foliage—plus their textured leaves are eye-catching. For less than $5, this artificial potted beauty is one of the best fake plants that looks far pricier than it is. The realistic green leaves are lush and arranged to maximize their fullness, and it comes in a textured pot. It would add a pretty splash of color to a kitchen shelf, mantle or windowsill.
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If you want a hanging plant that also adds vibrant color to a room, Nearly Natural’s bougainvillea basket is a prime choice—fake hanging plants don’t get much lovelier than this! The cascading vines look picture-perfect with the pretty pink flowers, and it comes in a traditional wicker planter. It may inspire thoughts of your favorite floral garden, and it brings a bit of that elegance right into your kitchen or living room.
There are so many leaves, buds, vines and blooms that this bougainvillea basket looks like a thriving live plant, so you might get questions about its care. Overall, the South American bougainvillea is the ultimate foliage add-on to spruce up any space.
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Ficus trees are very popular for office decor, but can be finicky about growing in low-light conditions. However, like all the best fake plants, you don’t have to worry about the lighting with this faux ficus tree. In fact, you can keep it in the darkest corner of your home and not think twice about maintenance—the dreamy greenery never loses its vibrancy.
This five-foot-tall ficus has a strong iron frame and realistic, UV-resistant leaves that retain their color and shape over time with no upkeep. Use them in your home or office as decor for an instant mood-boost. Or, this fake plant tree is so impressive, consider incorporating it into the decorations for a special occasion, like a wedding.
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Sure, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but few will think this faux Monstera adansonii tree is anything but stunning. As one of the most realistic and best fake plants, it helps to create a natural atmosphere anywhere it’s placed. Adding to the realism is the layer of real moss that covers the pot. The pot and tree are fused together with poured cement, so you can’t separate the two, but you can place the pot in a bigger decorative planter.
Since this fake monstera plant looks so lifelike, you’ll want to place it front and center among the indoor plants in your house. You may even want to get two of these 4.5-foot trees to sit on either side of the main entrance of your doorway. They make a wonderful first impression and can set the scene for a serene ambiance in your home.
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