How to Pick a Great Looking Fake Plant

If you miss the greenery of warmer weather, were born without a green thumb, or just looking for a plant you can’t kill by overwatering, fake plants are for you!

Sometimes, no matter what we do, plants don’t survive long enough to get the beauty and joy from them. There is a way to enjoy the beauty of florals and greeneries without the worry of forgetting to care for them. Today, fake plants give the illusion of being real. Many of us are familiar with silk plants, and there are still silk plant manufacturers that are now creating more life-like, artificial plants and trees.

Here’s how to select realistic, long lasting fake plants that can deliver that green feeling all year long:

Getting the Look and Touch of Real Greenery in Fake Plants

Have you just had to touch a plant to see if it’s real or not? That is the intention behind the making of today’s fake florals and foliage. The look and the touch of real plants are what has inspired the use of new materials to grow. According to the experts at Real Touch, flowers are made up of materials that give the illusion of live flowers:

Stems

Yes, they are plastic, but it is the “soft hairy spray coating,” that gives them a real look. Inside some beautifully crafted stems are simple steel rods for shaping. Others are totally silicone.

Petals

Depending on the type of flower petals, different materials are used to give that real-life look and touch.

• Synthetic fabrics with liquid polymer have replaced silk. These materials give the natural look and feel.
• Silicone allows manufacturers to create more delicate petals.
• Solid silicone creates durable, large petals in flowers such as tulips.
• Polyurethane is the desired material due to its molding qualities. The biggest problem with this polyurethane is the damaging effects from “direct sunlight and excessive humidity.”

Pistils

The pistils of flowering plants are usually made from “polyurethane or plastic.”

Leaves

Depending on the leaf type, “fabric or thin plastic” is used. Like large petals, larger leaves may be made from polyurethane.

Fake Plants Don’t Love Sunshine

The most damaging effect to artificial plants are the rays from the sun. You can keep them from fading. Your fake plant may have already been treated with UV inhibitors. If not, you can treat them with a UV resistant spray, which you want to make sure is compatible with your plant’s materials. Most people rotate their live plants to give the entire plant benefits from the sun. Your fake plants need to be rotated to avoid uneven fading.

DUST – The Blanketing Pest

Dust does build up on live plants, but dust holds onto fake plants easier. Many live plants with big leaves need to be cleaned. Those indoor plants that require a good water soaking get the bath they need to refresh their leaves and flowers. Fake plants do need cleaning to keep the dust from building up and destroying the beauty. Depending on the type of materials and what type of arrangement, there are simple ways to keep your plants looking alive.

Light Dust

Invest in an “electrostatic duster” to give your plants a quick dusting. By gently shaking and dusting on a routine basis will help keep dust off your artificial plants.

Heavy Dust and Grime

Depending on where your fake plants are located, you may have to deal with more than dust. The grease around the kitchen can land on plants that will add to icky buildup.

• Individual fake flowers can be cleaned using a pillowcase with table salt of cornmeal. After pouring 1 cup of either cooking ingredient into a pillowcase, simply put your flower ends into the pillowcase. Close the pillowcase around the flower stems and hold. Gently shake to get the salt or cornmeal to work the magic. After you take your flowers out, gently “flick” to remove the salt or cornmeal from the flowers.
• Plastic and polyester plants can be easily cleaned by first shaking off loose dust. All you need is cold water to rinse off the dust. For those fake plants that cannot be removed from their containers, you want to keep the container dry. Either cover the container with a plastic bag or hold the plant part under the cold water and rotate. Once you have run the cold water over your plant, shake off excess water, and gently dry with a towel.
• Silk plants require dusting and a special mixture to remove the grime and dust buildup. There are commercial sprays you can buy, but there is a simple homemade spray using 50% water and 50% rubbing alcohol. First, place a towel around the base or take outside. Spray the silk plant thoroughly, and the grime and dust will fall off. You can allow the plant to air dry, or you can speed up drying time with a cool blowing hairdryer.

Rubbing on a Shine

If the real plant has a noticeable shine, you will want to keep your fake plant(s) looking real. Using “a microfiber cloth lightly dampened with a furnish polish,” you can gently rub on a shine. Selecting a furniture polish with a pleasant smell, such as lemon, may give your home a wonderful aroma. There are other ways to give your plants a shine.

When You Want The Benefits of Live Plants Too

We all know that live plants offer benefits to our home and health. From the oxygen they put out to the dust that they can absorb, it is also nice to have live plants in our home. There are hardy plants that do not require a lot of care. When you add a few live plants along with some artificial ones, no one but you may ever know.