The 5 Best Fake Plants That Look Remarkably Real
Updated: Apr. 08, 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.
Best overall
Nearly Natural Artificial Dracaena Plant
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.
Pros
- One of the overall best fake potted plants available
- Has leaves and stems that appear to be authentic
- Always looks full and fresh without any maintenance
Cons
- Needs fluffing and arranging after unboxing
- You’ll need to choose an additional pot or basket if you don’t want the plain black one
Best budget
Hearth & Hand Mini Hoya Heart Plant
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.
Pros
- Budget-friendly price
- Realistic details
- Looks fantastic on its own, or arranged with other small fake plants
Cons
- On the small side
Best hanging plant
Nearly Natural Bougainvillea Basket
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.
Pros
- Cascading vines look incredibly real
- Adds a pop of color to any room
- Lightweight, so it can hang anywhere
- Comes assembled
Cons
- Flower colors may fade over time with sunlight exposure
Best tree
Pure Garden Artificial Ficus Tree
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.
Pros
- Easy to fluff
- Natural-looking trunk
- Engineered to resist fading
Cons
- Cemented into the planter, so you can’t repot
Most realistic
Artificial Monstera Deliciosa Adansonii Tree
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.
Pros
- Truly looks like the real deal
- Textured fronds are made of a rubber silk fabric
- Can be used interchangeably inside or outside
Cons
- The faux plant and the pot cannot be separated
- Needs shaping
What to consider when buying fake plants
The secret to buying the ideal fake house plant is to follow your own home decor desires and preferences. As long as you are happy with a plant, that’s all that matters. However, there are some universal rules of (green) thumbs to consider when shopping for a faux foliage.
Start by making a list of what you want most in a plant. If you want something that lasts a long time and provides authentic-looking greenery to your living space, it might be worth investing in a more high-end version. This saves you money in the long run, since repeatedly replacing cheap, low-quality plants gets pricey. Next, you’ll want to look at the materials and construction of the plant.
As you start to shop for potential fake plants, be sure to inspect the leaves and stems, making sure they have a natural shape and color. Leaves that stick straight out will be quickly seen as fake, and that can be a red flag for other problems with the plant. Finally, consider how the piece will look in your space.
How We Chose the Best Fake Plants
As shopping experts, our only job is to help you find a winning product. We start with the research and reporting basics—what products are made of, what they look like and how much they cost—to ensure that we’re only recommending the buys that are worth your time and money. Then, we research the features that speak to the product’s quality, taking advice from industry insiders and subject matter experts on what makes a product a smart value (or worthy of a splurge). Finally, we do the work of combing through user reviews to see how real people interact with the product, and if it stands up to the test.
FAQs
How to clean fake plants
While you want to always check with the manufacturer’s instructions, most fake plants should be cleaned with a simple dry cloth. Be gentle and dust them regularly. Dampen the cloth if you need to remove dirt or stains, then wipe the surface again with a dry cloth. Always defer to the instructions that came with your plant, or call the manufacturer to double-check on the proper care.
Can you put fake plants outside?
Many fake plants are created specifically to be a fit for any indoor or outdoor location. Some of the best fake plants are only meant for the indoors, though. If a plant was designed to withstand outdoor weather conditions, it will likely say that it’s an outdoor or indoor/outdoor plant in its title or description. Want to mix real and faux? Add some indoor herb garden kits, or sign up for a plant subscription box to get greenery on-demand.
Originally Published: April 23, 2021
