30 Best Artificial Plants You Can’t Tell Are Fake (and Where to Buy Them)
Updated: Jan. 31, 2022Don'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.
Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links. Ratings and prices are accurate and items are in stock as of time of publication.
Nothing brings life and freshness to a room like a houseplant or five. Even the humblest indoor plants have been shown to offer both mental and physical health benefits, not to mention the aesthetic effect. However, sometimes it’s just not possible to have that dreamy greenery in your own home. Do you have allergies or pets who eat everything? Maybe you travel regularly for work, live in dark rooms where even low light houseplants can’t thrive, or have a thumb that’s less than green. There’s no shortage of reasons to prevent you from having real plant life 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. These plastic and fabric leafy greens (including real-touch silk plants) have come a long way and can compete with any outdoor foliage for realism. If you’re nervous, you can try them alongside some easy indoor plants as you grow your home jungle.
Best artificial hanging plants: English ivy
A hanging plant is an amazing pop of greenery in a kitchen or bathroom and works perfectly in small spaces where surface space is limited. Ivy is one of the best-looking trailing plants, and this faux ivy from Nearly Natural comes with a sweet wicker basket to brighten up any place in or outside your house.
RELATED: Indoor Hanging Plants
String of Pearls
This cute little vine is actually a succulent from southwestern Africa, but this fake plant is from World Market. In its natural environment, it creeps along the ground, but this version hangs in your bathroom or bedroom adding a sweet pop of nature with its trailing strings of pearls (which are actually its leaves!) Best of all, it comes in a cool textured pot.
Peperomia
Available in two colors (burgundy and green) from Nearly Natural, peperomia is a lovely rubbery plant in the peppercorn family. The rounded heart-shaped leaves are particularly gorgeous in the burgundy version and would add interest to any room.
Spider plant
With their distinctive cream-and-green leaves, spider plants are an instantly recognizable and extremely cool addition to your home décor. This faux silk plant version from Nearly Natural comes in a hanging basket, and has an extremely realistic feature: spiderettes! These little baby versions of the mama plant hang from the ends of the leaves on a real plant, and their addition to this artificial plant takes it from meh to marvelous.
Pothos
Also known as “devil’s ivy” due to its resilience, the pothos plant makes a gorgeous hanging statement. This three-foot version from Amazon has a sideways basket so that it can be hung flat on a wall or balcony, perfect for that awkward wall nook or dark corner.
RELATED: Air Purifying Plants
Boston fern
Ferns are perfect for a bathroom, Victorian greenhouse, or a romantic wraparound porch. The Boston fern is the most classic fern shape, and this hanging fern from Nearly Natural comes in a lovely wicker basket. Ferns add a lush tropical accent but can be hard to maintain anywhere that isn’t a tropically humid environment. This silk faux fern takes away the pressure whilst maintaining the look.
Best fake succulents: Assorted succulents
Live succulents are already some of the least killable plants around, and these wee plastic cuties from Amazon are practically indestructible! They come in a pack of four different “plants,” with a pop of color to liven up your office or bedside table. They come in neutral white containers, too, so they go with all your existing décor. And at just $10.99, you can get a few!
Aloe plant
While you might not be able to snap off a leaf to treat your sunburn, an aloe plant makes a gorgeous accent in any room. This sweet fake plant from Amazon is a decent size (13 inches) and comes in a gorgeous white ceramic pot.
RELATED: Buy Plants Online
San Pedro cactus
Have you always wanted to live in the desert, but temperatures in your neighborhood stay below 60 degrees for most of the year? A fake plant could be in your future! And this gorgeous faux cactus is a perfect solution. The spines are quite realistic, so be careful and be sure to put it out of the way. At two and a half feet high, this San Pedro from Nearly Natural packs a serious décor punch.
Bromeliad air plants
Air plants have been having a design moment for the past few years, and these gorgeous bromeliads are the perfect fake plant solution from Amazon. They are small (three to four inches) but there are five of them, so they make a lovely centerpiece or wall accent.
Assorted cacti
These adorable little cacti from World Market are too cute for words! Handcrafted and planted in a bed of pebbles in a cement pot, these four cacti will brighten up your coffee table on even the greyest day.
Agave plant
For that Southwestern look, you can’t go wrong with an agave plant like this one from Amazon. With lush flat leaves and a stylish ceramic pot, this agave makes a great accent piece for the bedroom, desk, or living room.
RELATED: Hard to Kill Plants
Best artificial tabletop plants: Orchid
Few plants are more finicky than an orchid—unless it’s a fake plant, of course! This silk plant beauty comes in a porcelain pot from Amazon, and the stems are bendable to make it even more realistic looking. Your friends will think you’ve suddenly developed a green thumb! The pretty pink pop of color will add a touch of sophistication to any room.
Snake plant
Many pet owners who dream of owning a snake plant have to hold off, as the plant can be poisonous for dogs and cats. The solution, of course, is a fake plant. Urban Outfitters has a gorgeous snake plant safe for any pet (although you probably still don’t want them to chew on it).
RELATED: Houseplants Poisonous to Cats
Chinese money plant
This stunning plant can be identified by its flat, rounded leaves which give it its other name: pancake plant! This amazing faux version from World Market promises to live up to its name just as well as the real version, however. Simply place a coin in the soil and it will attract wealth. If you find your bank account swelling, replace the chic white ceramic pot it comes in with a gold pot: Your plant will have earned it.
Bonsai tree
The practice of cultivating bonsai trees dates back hundreds of years. They’re famously finicky and difficult… unless they’re faux! This adorable little maple tree from Wayfair brings an autumnal pop of color to your desk or coffee table, no pruning required.
Eucalyptus plant
For a gorgeous pop of green, you can’t go wrong with a eucalyptus. But you don’t need a whole tree—this lovely fake plant is just a cute little guy! The eucalyptus from Wayfair comes in a lovely blue or white ceramic planter that will add some wild forest vibes to your home.
Dieffenbachia
The variegated leaves of this stunning fake plant will dress up any surface. This gorgeous silk plant dieffenbachia from Nearly Natural comes in a ceramic pot topped with moss for an uber-natural look.
Best artificial floor plants: Yucca tree
If you want an airy, relaxed desert look, you can’t go wrong with a yucca tree in the corner. But if you want the desert look in your rainy hometown, you’re going to need a fake plant. This gorgeous two-stemmed yucca from World Market is handmade and comes in a simple weighted stand ready for the planter or basket of your choice.
Monstera
The monstera, sometimes called the Swiss cheese plant because of its holey leaves, is one of the trendiest houseplants around right now. Fortunately, the Urban Outfitters fake plants department has a perfectly faux monstera for the look without the maintenance. It comes in a simple black pot that can be covered with a decorative planter, and the leaves are bendable so that it fits perfectly in any corner.
Fiddle leaf fig tree
If you’re looking for a statement-making fake plant, the fiddle leaf fig tree is the ultimate foliage. This nearly 60-inch tall tree from World Market makes a stylish addition to any room. The branches are poseable and the fiddle leaf comes in a weighted black pot, ready for a cute basket.
RELATED: How to Revive a Plant
Parlor palm
Any living room or porch becomes a sophisticated tropical enclave with a parlor palm. This gorgeous fake plant from Wayfair comes in a handmade rope and rattan basket, perfect for even the darkest corner of your home. If you’re looking for a fake plant that will make a statement, the parlor palm is a classic choice that will never go out of style.
Ficus
This gorgeous fake plant is seven feet tall! The Ficus is a very popular tree for offices but can be finicky about growing in low-light conditions. However, this silk version from Nearly Natural will never lose its deep green leaves.
Dracaena
The perennially popular dracaena tree, or dragon tree, is related to both orchids and asparagus. This four-foot faux version from Urban Outfitters gives that asparagus look without the asparagus wilt. It comes in a great metal pot to add a touch of class to your home.
Best artificial plant décor: Flower arrangement (affordable!)
There’s nothing as cheering as having fresh flowers on your mantel but buying them every couple of weeks can be expensive. The answer? A beautiful faux floral arrangement! Featuring peonies, carnations, and hydrangea flowers, this gorgeous silk bouquet from Amazon comes in five different colors, and at just $13.99 it’s affordable enough to alternate.
RELATED: Shade Plants
Flower arrangement (splurge!)
If you want to spend a bit more on a super-luxurious year-round floral delight, this stunning silk plant peony arrangement from Nearly Natural is your $54.99 splurge. Ten inches high in a glass vase with liquid illusion, your guests will never know it’s faux.
Best fake plant décor
As every college student knows, the best décor is fast, affordable, and easy to switch up. Fake plants, garlands, and vines add warmth to any wall, window, or mirror. These pothos leaf vines from Urban Outfitters look super cute against a white or brick wall background.
Garland
We love the rustic charm of this four-foot daisy garland from Wayfair. It would look amazing draped over anything wooden and has a flexible wired base for easy attachment to stairs, mantels, or shelves.
Wreath
Keep spring at your fingertips all year long with this gorgeous rattan wreath from Wayfair. Artificial roses and hydrangeas are complemented by leafy greens, all mounted on a woven twig base for a perfect farmhouse chic wreath.
RELATED: Poisonous Plants
Flowering plants
These adorable kalanchoe (pronounced kal-an-koh-ee) silk plants will spruce up your windowsill, bookshelf, or kitchen table instantly. And they’ll never need watering! They come in a set of three complementary colors, planted in cute little pails, and have the same high quality as all of Nearly Natural’s fake plants.
Holiday arrangement
We absolutely love the holidays here, and what better way to keep that holiday spirit all year round than with a gorgeous wintry floral arrangement? These bright red faux poinsettias from Nearly Natural are mounted in a chic whitewashed planter for maximum pop all year round.
If you have some well-lit corners in your home and would like to give real foliage a try, check out our tips on how to care for indoor plants for everything you need to know about growing an indoor garden.