Artificial plants can be the perfect finishing touch or go horribly wrong. We've all been to our grandmothers' homes and seen dusty plastic vines lining a surface. It's like, "immediately no." But no matter how hard I try, I'm a plant killer (except for a couple of varieties but that's another post for another day). Fast forward and I'm now my grandma but with far better options available. Here are some things I look for when buying faux stems and a round up of some of my favorite artificial flowers for spring!

My Rules for Fake Plants

Does the item occur in nature? Have you seen the grocery store flowers where they put dye in the water to make the white flowers purple or hot pink? I mean A for effort but flowers are already pretty in their natural state. You don't need to add dye. The same can be said for a fake flower in an unusual color. Instead of tricking your brain into thinking they're real, it's a tale tell sign that it's a fraud. 

Is it bendable? If you can manipulate the stems, you can make them appear more real. If you can't, it'll be much harder to make them look realistic because most plants are fragile.

Some colors are easier to fake than others. This is why faux succulents look so darn good! Even real succulents look fake. ha. Bright green is easier to copy. If you're picky with your plants, find a plant that's easier to copy and then search for its fake counterpart. I also find that light, neutral colors are easier to copy than vibrant colors.

How much does it cost? You get what you pay for can be accurate in this case. The more expensive the fake, the better it looks. Not always but often. This isn't to say buy the most expensive faux plant ever (most in my roundup are inexpensive) but buy the most expensive option that fits your budget.

How is it presented? I mentioned the vines earlier- generally a real plant would never float in mid air. sorry grandma. A plant should be in a soil lookalike and a cute pot or vase never hurts. I've even seen people add real water or real soil. I've never done it but I'm not mad at it. Oh and if it's a good fake, put it near a window- we're committed to this fake plant game. 

What rules would you add? Shop these stems below!