Let Rooms Bloom All Year With Fake Flowers

Plants and Branches

Unlike the real deal, imitations have flowers that won’t dry up and shrivel and leaves that stay green through the years.

What to look for: Opt for plants and branches with leaves or twigs of various lengths set at different angles. They should contain wire so you can bend and shape them, says Matt Wood, a designer for Winward International, a permanent-botanical company in Union City, California. Also search for bark that is textured and mottled, not smooth, and berries and fruit that are slightly pliable. Prices range from $15 for a potted fern to $290 for an eight-foot bird-of-paradise; potted orchids can cost $600. Branches cost from $6 to $70 each; arrangements start at $100.

Expert Tips

• Add real elements. Fake plants are often potted with “a mixture of sawdust, paint, and glue that resembles cookies-and-cream ice cream,” says Wood. Cover the surface with dirt, rocks, or moss.
• Consider where you live. A cluster of palm branches is a natural choice for a Spanish-style home in Phoenix. But in a New England Colonial? Only if you’re throwing a tiki party.