You’ve invested in artificial plants for the first time to get the beauty of greenery without the constant watering, pruning, or replacing.
While that’s great, there’s a harsh truth lurking beneath the surface: even fake plants can cause frustration if you don’t choose, place, or care for them properly.
Luckily, these common problems are completely avoidable once you know what to look out for.
In this post, our expert team will walk you through 4 of the most common issues with artificial plants and share practical tips to help you prevent them. That way, you’ll have greenery that’s realistic, stable, and stylish for years.
Ready to learn more?
Keep reading.
4 Problems With Artificial Plants and 4 Tips to Avoid Them
Artificial plants may be low-maintenance, but they still need a little love and attention to look their best.
With the right choices and a few simple tricks, you can sidestep these problems and enjoy greenery that looks nice and natural.
Here’s what plagues some of our clients:
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Artificial plants that are “too perfect”
Nature isn’t perfect, and that’s exactly what makes it beautiful. If you look around your garden, you’ll notice that real plants have so many quirks, i.e., some leaves are smaller than others, some branches bend awkwardly, and growth patterns vary.
But if you take a stroll through IKEA, you likely won’t see such imperfections on the artificial plants sold there. That may seem great at first, but if you look at the fauxliege for a while, it’ll start looking suspicious.
Artificial plants, especially those bought from department stores or cheap online suppliers, often look stiff, symmetrical, and flawless. This “perfect” look is usually what tips people off that the plant isn’t real.
Expert tip to avoid this:
Buy artificial plants that show imperfections. Then, style them immediately after unboxing by spreading out the leaves, bending the stems, and giving the plant a bit of irregularity.
Besides this, if you’re using artificial topiary or trees, we recommend pairing them with natural accents like moss, soil, or pebbles at the base. This will anchor the plant and soften the factory-perfect appearance.
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No foliage color variations
When every leaf is the same shade of green, your plant will look flat and lifeless, regardless of how expensive it was.
In nature, you see gradients, not uniformity. Even on the same plant, you’ll see that some leaves are lighter, older ones deepen with time, and occasional imperfections occur from frequent sun exposure. These variations need to be found on your artificial plants, as well, to ensure they reliably capture the essence of nature.
Expert tip to avoid this:
At Designer Plants, we use our proprietary RealTex technology to develop ranges that incorporate subtle tonal differences. With this, you’ll find that some leaves have darker veins and others have edges in lighter shades. Even within one plant, we ensure you see natural variation.
When buying, always look for this attention to detail. If you’re working with single-tone greenery you already own, layer it with other plants to break up the monotony.
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Overcrowding your space with fauxliege
If we know one thing, it’s how easy it is to get carried away with artificial plants - they don’t die, so you can just keep adding more and more until you fill up your entire vacant space.
Unfortunately, when it comes to artificial greenery, “too much of a good thing” may be exactly what you come across because too many fake plants can overwhelm the eye.
Instead of looking chic and intentional, your greenery will quickly feel like clutter. Besides that, having too many artificial plants next to each other may bring out the fact that they’re not real and ruin the illusion for you and your visitors.
Expert tip to avoid this:
Treat your artificial plants like design features, not fillers for empty space. Choose a few statement pieces and give them breathing room. For example, we suggest using a single tall artificial olive tree in a sleek planter instead of 5 smaller pots crammed together in a corner.
Alternatively, you can use the vertical space to your advantage and get a faux green wall panel or a hanging planter to fill up the space while still letting it breathe. This way, you’ll keep your space open, modern, and lush without creating unnecessary visual clutter.
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Incorrect locations and positioning
Artificial plants don’t need sunlight to thrive, which means you can place them virtually anywhere and they’ll stay vibrant. However, over the years, we’ve seen many clients placing their fauxliege in unrealistic spots and, as a result, inadvertently revealing the artificial nature of their plants.
If you place a faux potted tree in a pitch-dark bathroom with no windows, it won’t take a genius to determine that it’s a fake because it’ll look out of place. Believability is a tough nut to crack, because even subconsciously, people can notice when something doesn’t make sence
Outdoors, poor positioning can also accelerate wear and tear. If you put non-UV-resistant plants in full sun, you’ll notice them fading, especially if they’re labeled as “indoor-only.”
Expert tip to avoid this:
Your artificial plant placement should mimic real growing conditions, even if you don’t have to keep track of those. So, if you’re styling a fern, put it somewhere shady, like a shaded patio corner.
Or, if you have a UV-treated faux plant designed for the outdoors, place it under awnings, pergolas, or along walls that get some sun exposure during the day. Over time, you can rotate the pots just as you would when dealing with real plants.
When in doubt, ask yourself: Would a real plant grow here? If the answer is no, reconsider the placement.
Finishing Thoughts
Artificial plants offer the beauty of greenery without the stress of ongoing maintenance and upkeep, provided you set them up and care for them properly.
While fauxliege is easy to use, there are still a few considerations you need to account for to ensure they look as realistic as possible.
With these expert tips, we hope we can help you ensure your artificial greenery stands the test of time and looks its best with as little effort as possible.
Take a little care, make intentional choices, and your fake plants will become a seamless part of your decor.
If you’re ready to transform your space with low-maintenance greenery, book a free consultation or explore our collection of high-quality artificial plants, green walls, and trees.