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I Finally Found Fake Plants That Fooled My Mom Into Watering Them
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items You want your apartment to look put together but you've killed every real plant within two weeks. Succulents, pothos, that little herb garden kit from Christmas. All dead. This list is for anyone who loves the look of greenery but has zero patience (...
Sections
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Faux Plants That Look Real on Shelves and Desks
Larger Faux Floor Plants That Fill Empty Corners
Faux Hanging and Trailing Plants for Walls and Shelves
Accessories That Make Fake Plants Look Even More Real
Faux Plants That Look Real on Shelves and Desks
My desk used to look like a sad cubicle from a 90s sitcom. I dropped a couple of these on the bookshelf and my coworker on a video call asked if I'd gotten into gardening. I had not.
Toss this on your desk or entryway table. I stuck one by my front door and my neighbor complimented my gardening skills. Perfect for renters with zero natural light who still want something green greeting them at the door.
Mainstays Artificial Mini Boxwood Topiary, 7.5
Keep this in your kitchen near the stove. A friend literally reached over to pinch off a sprig for her pasta before I stopped her. Looks wildly real and the ceramic pot doesn't scream ‘fake plant from a discount bin.’
Better Homes & Gardens Faux Tomato Plant in Ceramic
Grab this for your nightstand or bathroom counter. Small enough to fit anywhere, realistic enough that I forgot it was fake and almost watered it myself one morning. Great for anyone who wants low-effort decor in a tiny space.
Mainstays Artificial Succulent Pick 2.75 Inch x 6.8 Inch Green
Pair this with a couple of real books on a shelf and nobody questions it. The texture on the leaves is what sells it. Got mine six months ago and the color hasn't faded at all, even sitting in direct afternoon sun.
11" Artificial Aloe Plant in White and Black Stone Planter
Use this one in a bathroom with no windows. Snake plants are supposed to survive anywhere, so nobody blinks when they see one in a dark corner. My sister has a real one and couldn't tell the difference when she visited.
Mainstays 4 inch Artificial Snake Plant in Rainbow Print
Snag this if you love the look of jade but have killed three of them (hi, that's me). The little cement pot gives it weight so it doesn't feel cheap when you pick it up. Sits on my windowsill looking smug.
Better Homes & Gardens 6' Artificial Olive Tree in Ceramic
Try this on a bathroom shelf or guest bedroom dresser. The muted green reads very ‘I shop at farmers markets on Saturdays’ even though I absolutely do not. Looks especially good next to white towels.
Mainstays 7.5 inch Artificial Eucalyptus and Flower in White
Larger Faux Floor Plants That Fill Empty Corners
Every apartment has that one awkward corner that collects dust and sadness. I tried a floor lamp, a basket, even a guitar I don't play. A tall fake plant was the answer all along.
Bring this home if your living room has an empty corner staring at you. Fiddle leaf figs are the plant everyone wants but nobody can keep alive. This one just sits there looking expensive and never drops a single leaf on your floor.
Nearly Natural 4.5' Fiddle Leaf Fig Artificial Tree
Switch to this if you're tired of the fiddle leaf trend. The olive tree look is all over design blogs right now and this one actually has realistic little olives on it. My mom touched the branches and then looked at me suspiciously.
Better Homes & Gardens 6'H Artificial Indoor Olive Tree
Toss this in a bedroom corner behind a reading chair. The height fills vertical space without taking up floor room, which is clutch for studio apartments. Dust it once a month and it looks brand new.
Nearly Natural 5ft Dracaena Plant - UV Resistant Green
Grab this if you want tropical vibes without moving to Florida. The big broad leaves make a small room feel bigger somehow. Positioned mine near the TV and it softened the whole wall.
Nearly Natural Green 4.5' Bird of Paradise Artificial Plant
Use this as a statement piece on a console table or tall shelf. One giant monstera leaf in a simple vase looks intentional and modern, not like you bought a fake plant. Interior designers actually do this trick constantly.
Better Homes & Gardens Faux Tomato Plant in Ceramic
Get this for a home office corner. Rubber plants have thick, glossy leaves that photograph well on Zoom calls, and this one doesn't need you to remember anything. Just unbox it, fluff the leaves, and forget about it forever.
Nearly Natural 53in. Artificial Rubber Tree in Blue Planter
Try this near a front door or in an entryway. Bamboo reads clean and minimal, and this one comes in a simple black pot that works with pretty much any decor. My landlord thought I was actually growing bamboo indoors.
Mainstays 30H Artificial Indoor Bamboo Tree in Vanilla
Faux Hanging and Trailing Plants for Walls and Shelves
Wanted that ‘jungle apartment’ look from Pinterest but didn't want to install a drip tray system or watch vines slowly brown and die. These trailing fakes solved it without a single hook rusting from water damage.
Drape these across the top of a bookshelf or kitchen cabinets. From across the room they look like real ivy that's been growing for months. Bought two packs and now my kitchen has that cozy cafe vibe I was chasing.
Artificial Hanging Plants 2 Pack, Faux Ivy Vine Garland
Swap this in for the real pothos you keep overwatering. Hang it near a window and let the vines trail down. A delivery driver once told me I had a nice plant collection. Sir, it is all lies, but thank you.
Nearly Natural Pothos Hanging Basket Plant
Use these to line a headboard or wrap around a curtain rod. The pack gives you way more than you need, which means you can go full jungle mode in one afternoon. Wash them under the faucet when they get dusty.
Cterwk 12 Pack Artificial Ivy Vines Plants Fake Leaf
Snag this before everyone figures out how realistic it looks. Real string of pearls is famously impossible to keep alive, so having a fake one is honestly the smart move. Hang it in a bathroom and watch guests do a double take.
Spencer 2Pcs 14" Artificial Succulents Hanging Plants
Tuck this into a high shelf where nobody can reach it and inspect it closely. The trailing succulents catch light beautifully and add dimension to flat walls. Zero maintenance, zero guilt when you forget it exists for weeks.
Better Homes & Gardens Shop All Artificial Plants
Bring this onto a covered porch or hang it in a living room corner. Boston ferns are lush and dramatic, and this one doesn't shed little green bits all over your carpet. My porch finally looks like it belongs on a home tour.
Nearly Natural 22" Boston Fern Artificial Plant in Hanging
Pair these with a tall glass vase for an instant ‘I have my life together’ centerpiece. Lay a few across a bathtub tray for that spa bathroom photo you keep seeing on social media. They hold their shape for months without wilting.
Customer reviews for Coolmade 5.5ft Seeded Eucalyptus
Accessories That Make Fake Plants Look Even More Real
The plant itself is only half the trick. Put a gorgeous faux fiddle leaf in a cheap plastic pot and the illusion shatters immediately. These are the pots, soil toppers, and details that complete the disguise.
Drop a floor plant into this and suddenly it looks like you repotted it yourself on a Sunday morning. The resin is lightweight but looks exactly like aged wood. My dad knocked on it and was genuinely confused it wasn't real.
Classic Home and Garden Outdoor Whiskey Resin Barrel
Use this to repot any small faux plant that came in a cheap plastic container. The white ceramic is clean and modern, and having a drainage hole on a fake plant is honestly the ultimate deception. Nobody suspects a thing.
La Jolie Muse White Ceramic Flower Plant Pots
Grab a bag and scatter this on top of the fake soil in your pots. It covers the foam base that screams ‘artificial’ and adds an organic texture that makes the whole thing look rooted and real. One bag covers multiple pots.
SuperMoss (26959) Spanish Moss Preserved, Basil, 4oz
Toss a layer of these over the base of any faux plant pot. Looks like you actually repotted it with care and attention. Takes thirty seconds and the difference is wild. Wish someone had told me this trick two years ago.
Colored Decorative Pebbles for Planters, Vases
Set a medium faux plant on this and it instantly looks like a design choice, not an afterthought. The bamboo legs add warmth to the room and raise the plant to eye level where it gets more attention. Simple upgrade, big payoff.
Adjustable Plant Stand, Bamboo Mid Century Modern
Slip a potted faux plant inside this woven basket and it looks straight out of a home magazine. The natural texture tricks your brain into thinking the plant must be real too. Works especially well with faux ferns and palms.
Small Seagrass Belly Basket
Sprinkle a thin layer of this around the base of your fake plants for the finishing touch. Sounds ridiculous to buy real soil for a fake plant, but the earthy smell and look seals the deal. My mom literally sniffed the pot and said ‘smells healthy.’ ...
Miracle-Gro Sphagnum Peat Moss, 8 qt.