“Artificial trees, plants, and branches can all help give a space life and a pop of color, and the options have come so far since the eighties and nineties,” says Jennifer Davis, owner and principal designer of Davis Interiors in Minneapolis. And to make them even more realistic, there are plenty of hacks: “Sometimes I like to do a mix of fake and live, for example, fresh roses mixed with artificial wispy greens,” she adds. Here are the best places to buy fake plants online. One of our favorites is the Pothos Silk Plant, which our home tester praised for its varied, realistic-looking leaves (no two are the same). If you’re looking to make a statement in a room with high ceilings, we also loved the Golden Cane Palm Tree, which stands a dramatic 6.5 feet and has a rubbery trunk that could easily be mistaken for the real deal. “[It’s] substantial enough to stay upright and keep its alibi as a real tree, but not so unwieldy that it’s hard to move around if needed,” says our tester. You can also opt for a section of an artificial living wall, which is hearty enough to withstand the elements outdoors, but would also jazz up a living room (the gently browned leaf tips make it seem especially lifelike). If you decide your plants aren’t for you, Nearly Natural’s return policies are fairly standard and straightforward—just note that they only ship to the 48 lower contiguous states. You’ll have 30 days to make a return and pre-paid labels are available, but your original shipping charges won’t be refunded. There’s a 25 percent discount if you subscribe to the site’s newsletter, and a VIP points loyalty program that offers discounts after you spend certain amounts. Nearly Natural has a small sale section, as well as regular events such as Christmas in July, where shoppers might save as much as 30 percent on holiday items. Shipping is free, and there’s no minimum order. Although there isn’t a huge selection, the plants on offer are distinctive and include unusual containers (like the Set of Faux Succulents in Geo Ceramic Pots or the Faux Philodendron Birkin Plant in White-Striped Pot). You won’t necessarily find yourself repotting your new purchase, which is a common hack for making artificial plants feel more special. If you join World Market Rewards, you’ll get offers like a birthday discount, 15 percent off your first order, and 10 percent off curbside pickups. Patience will pay off and give you lots of options, and the site is easy to use and lets you search by size, type of plant, price, and more. At press time there were 35 different species offered under artificial plants, and these included boxwood, onion grass, and dracaena, as well as more general categories like “flowering.” Our tester raved about the Pure Garden Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree, calling it “one of the most realistic-looking around.” Spiky spider plants, lush-looking hanging ferns, and loose jasmine branches are just a few other types of artificial greenery on offer. When shopping, you can filter your search results by “closeout” or “sale,” which will help you find some excellent deals. You can also find sale items by clicking on “Sales” and navigating to the Faux Plants section. There’s free shipping after $35 spent, but additional fees for Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories. The site is easy to browse, and shoppers can search by color, type, and height, as well as filter by options like real touch (meaning the plant will feel like a live one, and likely be thin plastic, versus one made with silk or even metal), outdoor and UV-protected, holiday, and fall. Looking to make floral arrangements or centerpieces? There are more than 300 dried and artificial flowers and stems, including fluffy Pampas Grass that measures four feet long and dozens of rose replicas such as the multi-layered English Cabbage Rose. One area that falls short: Afloral doesn’t have many dramatic, oversize items like trees. The largest one is the Monstera Plant in Cement Stand, which stands 45 inches and costs $88. The prices are fair given the quality (a lush Hanging Pothos costs $58); they’re higher than big-box stores, but shouldn’t completely destroy your budget. For ground shipping, the minimum is $5. The stems and flowers are quite pricey and start at $26 for a single Faux Dahlia. There are only a few traditional faux houseplants, but they are realistic and constructed well. The Faux Fish Hook Succulent in Hanging Pot retails for $34, and the 20-inch Faux Olive Tree costs $76. Given the expensive prices and impressive details, items from Terrain work best as statement pieces. Sales are frequent (check the homepage or “Current Promotions + Offers” for current codes) and you can also find quite a bit of discounted faux greenery, like preserved floral bunches and faux sprays, in the “Sale” section. Although the selection is large, shoppers can filter by price, type, brand, size, and even different other categories such as placement (e.g., floor, tabletop, or hanging), container type, or color family. A search for artificial fiddle leaf fig trees brought up more than 30 results, including a simple but voluminous two-foot option from Noble House for $27, all the way up to a $480 option from Nearly Natural, which has a striking, top-heavy silhouette and comes in a slate planter. Our testers loved the Nearly Natural Artificial Boston Fern, which is sold in a set of two, for its realistic texture. For sales, navigate to Artificial Plants via the “Specials and Offers” section of the website. Most of the roughly 4,500 artificial plants are from Ashland and Nearly Natural, but there are also some from companies like Vickerman, a large distributor in Minnesota. One of Davis’s favorites, the Kiwi Vine Spray, is no longer available, but the Natural Ting Bunches with Sola Flowers offer a similar wispy, delicate vibe. There’s also an impressive array of affordable fake succulents, like the Flora Bunda 8-Inch Succulent Mix, which comes in an attractive stand. Customers can find plants on sale or clearance by navigating to those sections under “Deals” and then selecting “floral.” Recent deals included an Ashland Potted Dracaena reduced to $24 from $80, as well as a UV-Protected Maidenhair Fern Bush for 50 percent off. Davis loves their Faux Olive Trees, which she calls “incredibly realistic” thanks to the excellent detailing on the trunks. They also have eye-catching Faux Spiderworts, with distinctive pink and green markings, and elegant and sculptural Faux Boxwood Topiaries. The website has sale and clearance sections, though artificial plants don’t seem to be discounted very often. Besides keeping an eye on seasonal sales, shoppers should consider joining The Key rewards program, since they’ll get coupon codes emailed to them throughout the year. If you’re going to shop IKEA, know that you might need to do a bit of finessing to get your plant room-ready. This might mean adding some live moss at the base or swapping in a custom container, as many tend to just be basic black plastic pots. Given the already-low prices, IKEA doesn’t run a ton of sales, but you might find faux plant deals in the “Home Essentials Under $20” section (we saw nearly 2 yards of vine garland for $5) or the “Last Chance” area, which is organized by category. Also, note that plants aren’t returnable, so you’ll want to be certain before you commit. They have dozens of artificial flowers, vines, plants, and trees, although the website is a little tricky to navigate (it would be helpful to see items grouped in larger categories). Still, it’s worth the time investment, since you’ll find delightful choices like the Olive Trees, which Davis recommends, as well as unexpected items like Red Apple Stems, Cotton Bouquets, and Craspedia Globosa Bundles. They also sell accessories like containers, garden tools, and fabric. Since Rustic Reach is a small company, you won’t find tons of sales or a rewards program, but they do list discount codes on their website as well as Etsy. They have also offered discounts on Etsy, such as olive trees with damaged pots on Etsy for 50 percent off. Davis likes the Threshold Designed with Studio McGee line, especially the 35-Inch Rubber Tree, which has subtly shaded leaves and stems with irregular markings. The spiky Faux Grass in a Basket will also add a distinctive texture to a shelf or table, while Magnolia’s Hanging Hoya Plant is a pretty, cascading piece that often sells out quickly. The return policy is designed to make things easy for customers. Items purchased online can be returned either via mail or to any store. You have 90 days to return your item (unopened and in new condition) unless it’s a Target-owned brand, in which case you’ll have a full year. Free shipping requires a $35 minimum purchase. Brands featured include long-standing retailer Sullivan’s, Nearly Natural, Christopher Knight, and many others. You’ll find most types of popular artificial plants, including olive trees, fiddle leaf fig trees, monsteras, and ferns, as well as bonsai trees, shrubs, various hanging plants, and many more. Overstock also helpfully flags some plants as “high satisfaction,” like this four-foot Christopher Knight Monstera Tree, which has a realistic-looking trunk and twisted branches, or this Studio 350 Croton Plant, which has multicolor leaves and a full profile. Besides filtering by sale and clearance, Overstock maintains a robust Sales & Deals section; recently there was a special category called “Gifts for Plant Lovers” that featured many artificial options. As with the other larger retailers, you’ll want to come to Overstock with a good sense of what you’re looking for—or plenty of time and patience to sift through all of the options. The options are overwhelmingly realistic, with choices like the statement-making Zapo Bird of Paradise, the spiny Tunja Century Plant, and the appropriately scaled Dayla Flower Bouquet, which could easily be mistaken for the real thing. We also love that ArtiPlanto frequently uses eye-catching containers, so you may not need to repot your plant after receiving it. One downside of shopping at ArtiPlanto is that, because orders ship from Canada and must cross the border, products shipped to the United States are final sale. There is also a flat rate shipping fee of $14 for small orders, and orders over $100 ship free.

Out-of-the-box options

Some stores boast smaller fake plant selections. But these pared-down selections tend to be loaded with striking and unusual finds. So if you’re looking for fake plants you haven’t seen everywhere before, keep an eye out for these small-but-mighty collections. You can find them at speciality fake plant stores and home decor shops (though you might have a tougher time finding them at larger retailers).

Budget-friendly buys

Fake plants are available at a range of different price points. So if you’re hoping to save money where you can, be sure to visit stores that are known for their budget-friendly finds. Though these places tend to specialize in inexpensive furniture, decor, and other fixtures, they often sell fake plants at their signature low prices.

Why Trust the Spruce

Lexi Dwyer has contributed to The Spruce since 2019, with experience writing about home-related topics like picnic tables, gardening shoes, and woven baskets. For this story, she spent several hours considering many different retailers, balancing larger, well-known companies with smaller and more distinctive ones. She looked at criteria such as the number of artificial plants available, the array of types and styles, and perceived customer satisfaction.

You don’t have the time or desire to care for live plants.You or someone in your home suffers from allergies.There are curious young children or potentially destructive pets living with you.You’d rather not invest in something if you aren’t sure you’ll be able to keep it alive.You want to display the plant in an area that doesn’t get adequate sunlight, like a dim corner, or in a place that doesn’t get maintained frequently, like a vacation house.You need greenery decor for your outdoor space, and you want something that can withstand extreme cold or heat.

For additional insight, Lexi spoke with Jennifer Davis, owner and principal designer of Davis Interiors in Minneapolis.