We Can’t Even Believe These Gorgeous Flowers Are Fake

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Fake flowers have come a long way since their 1980s-era predecessors. One can recall the presence of stiff, plastic floral varieties lining the aisles of craft stores, eventually finding their way onto your grandmother’s cocktail table or at the reception desk of a funeral home—inevitably gathering dust. Today, they are pariahs of decor no more.

Thanks to the elevated craftsmanship of high-fashion makers, countless iterations of hyperrealistic, nature-defying botanicals are on the market today, and the design world is obsessed. Last year, sales of artificial plants and dried flowers reached $2.3 billion in the United States, a 52 percent increase from 2020, according to the data analytics company Circana. Whether it’s AFloral’s billowing sprays of polyester snowball flowers that impressively mimic the plant’s natural branch irregularities; West Elm’s plastic budding blossom branch that is replete with we-could-be-fooled green buds; or Pottery Barn’s polyester peony bundle, a cluster of perky magenta posies that appear newly plucked—they all look so real, they’re practically goading onlookers to bend down and take a sniff. Sure, they might start at $35 a sprig, but it’s a long-term investment that doesn’t leave you empty-handed within days, unlike real blooms.

How Do These Faux Flowers Look So Real?

“Choosing florals and greenery that replicate what is found in nature is our favorite endeavor and one we do not take lightly,” says Melanie MacIntyre, content director at Afloral. “Quality faux florals often use materials—silk, polyester, or latex—that have natural textures and finishes that closely resemble those of real flowers. The hues and tones are then carefully matched to those of fresh florals.” Not only do they look fresh, but they also feel like the real thing, with flower and branch weights taken into consideration. In fact, Afloral even brings in artisans who hand-paint the stems to enhance their realism.

What Are the Advantages of Faux Flowers?

The advantages of quality artificial stems go beyond eye candy. “For allergy sufferers, faux florals provide a hypoallergenic option, allowing everyone to enjoy the beauty of flowers indoors without triggering allergic reactions,” MacIntyre explains. “Also for our furry friends, they are a safe alternative to toxic plants.” Faux is also a sustainable choice, she adds, noting that with proper care, artificial flowers can last for years.

How Do You Style Faux Flowers?

Once the faux flowers are in hand, then comes the question of styling. After all, a flower—faux or otherwise—is only as lovely as its vase, arrangement, and placement. When determining what size vase to use, a simple rule of thumb is to aim for one that is roughly one-third to one-half the height of your stems, MacIntyre says. “For example, if the stems measure 40 inches tall, choose a vase that is around 12 to 20 inches tall,” she explains. “This ensures that the vase provides adequate support for the stems while allowing them to showcase their natural beauty.” As for styling, MacIntyre appeals to what she calls the Rule of Three: “Begin building your arrangement with three stems. From there, create a larger centerpiece and arrange it in odd numbers.” Odd-numbered groupings create balance and symmetry, making the arrangement appear more organic and appealing to the eye.

And finally, MacIntyre advises floral enthusiasts not to hesitate to manipulate the flowers. “High-quality faux florals are designed to withstand handling and often feature wired or bendable stems that can be adjusted to create natural-looking arrangements,” she explains. “Have fun with the flowers! Bend them, fluff them, arrange them, and then rearrange them. You can change the look of your arrangements time and time again until you are completely in love with the final look.” And if you’re lamenting the absence of a flower’s sweet fragrance, you can always opt for an essential oil that mimics that specific flower for a true trick of the senses (sans allergy flare-up).

Ready to transform your home into an efflorescent garden of Eden but unsure of which carrier to trust? Our editors have tested and reviewed bunches upon bunches of artificial flowers to determine those that look as fresh as daisies—literally. So without further ado, below are our 10 favorite artificial flowers that are gloriously low maintenance, fabulously realistic, and ever-so-fashionable.

Faux Snowball Flower

Known in the gardening world for its showy floral display and dark green, shiny, tri-lobed leaves, the snowball bush viburnum is a showstopping specimen to bring into your home—and Afloral’s rendition of the pompom blooms is gloriously on the mark. Featuring hydrangea-like florets that look so fluffy you might be tempted to bury your face in them, these flowers seem impossibly real.

Unboxing: ELLE DECOR editor Rachel Silva says this was easily the winning posy of all the flowers she tested. “When arranging, I was impressed by the shapes of the branches, which featured stem irregularities that impressively mimic the real thing,” she notes. And if her own opinion wasn’t enough, she had the backing of perhaps the most inscrutable of flower experts. “No lie, setting these flowers beside my window for a few days brought some pollen-seeking bees, who thought they had found the jackpot of blossoms.”

Dimensions: 43.5" tall | Features: Six blooms per stem | Material: Polyester, plastic, and wire | Color: White

An Afloral reviewer says: “These are a staple on my kitchen island, people always tell me they look real. Easily recommending these stems to anyone looking to make a statement.”

Artificial Blossom Branch

Want to add a touch of springtime in your home? You can even do so prematurely, if you’re itching to shed the winter doldrums, with Afloral’s faux blossom branch. The false photosynthesis keeps the sprig suspended in perfect blossom height, with lifelike texture and variety and cream-colored buds.

Unboxing: “This blossom branch is so realistic, my dinner party guests swore it was cut that morning,” the tester says. “While a fresh assemblage of blooming branches is nothing short of luxury when it costs $250, I’ll opt for these low-maintenance specimens of artistry any day. I won’t tell if you don’t!”

Dimensions: 57" tall | Features: 24 blooms, 1.25" to 3" wide | Material: Fabric, plastic, wire, and paper | Color: Cream

An Afloral reviewer says: “These are perfection. The quality is fantastic and they really stand out in our kitchen! I really recommend these in any room/space.”

Faux Hydrangea Bundle

Looking for something that blooms in summer? Consider vasing an assortment of hydrangeas. In its many varieties—from mopheads to lacecap-style to the classic big-leaf hydrangea—Pottery Barn’s hydrangea lookalike will bring any space to life with a punch of color well into the summer season.

Unboxing: Just three stems filled nearly any vase our tester put them in. “Billowing is the word I’d use to describe these,” Silva adds. “They punctuated my entry table with fantastic pizzazz.”

Dimensions: 60" tall | Features: One bloom per stem | Material: Plastic, polyester, and wire | Color: Burgundy

Faux Blossom Branch

Touch it—we dare you. West Elm’s nearly five-foot blossom branch is the kind of varied sprig that you’re sure to see in springtime, but with one wonderful benefit: no water needed.

Unboxing: “This weighty branch required a larger pot, and I wasn’t mad about it,” Silva says. “For added volume, I pulled the branches away from the stem. It brought spring straight to my doorstep every day, no matter how delayed the warm temperatures are outside.”

Dimensions: 57" tall, 32" wide | Features: One stem | Material: Plastic, polyester, and wire | Color: Green

Faux Peony Bundle

Few things surpass the showstopping quality of a huge, pure, outlandish peony. Pottery Barn’s faux version of the flower—the quintessential peony, in a bold magenta—is a full flower form that will bring energy and vibrancy to any room it inhabits.

Unboxing: “My first thought upon opening the box: Oh, I love these!” says Silva, who felt that a metallic—in her case, gold—vase was the perfect vessel for this generous bouquet. “Just one bunch was enough to fill a five-inch vase with adequate volume.”

Dimensions: 15.75" tall | Features: Five blooms per bundle | Material: Plastic, polyester, and wire | Color: Magenta

Faux Cherry Blossom

There’s perhaps no flower more iconic in signaling the first blush of spring than the cherry blossom. Its frothy masses of pink or white blooms transform any space, whether it’s Washington, D.C.’s famed tree-lined Tidal Basin or your kitchen island. Afloral pays a proper tribute to these stars of springtime with an uncanny replica.

Unboxing: The tester says she’s obsessed. “The flowers arrived in a tall, skinny box and felt just as real as living flowers,” Silva notes. “They were easy to style and worked in tall and skinny vases, as well as in shorter, rounder vases.”

Dimensions: 44" tall | Features: 12" to 19" flowering blooms | Material: Polyester, plastic, and iron wire | Color: Cream white

An Afloral reviewer says: “Very full and realistic blooms from close up and far away. I am also impressed with how full each branch is! I only needed two branches to fill a medium-sized pot to create a drapey look. But I could also buy one or two more stems for a more full look. Happy with my purchase!”

Peony Bundle

For a more dialed-down take on the very trendy peony specimen, opt for Joanna Gaines’s light pink (they also come in light peach) flowers from Magnolia. Their lush blossoms defy the plant’s rare and fleeting presence (peonies flower for a short 7 to 10 days) with total elegance.

Unboxing: The tester said these flowers were impressively lifelike, with color gradience mimicked in the petals. “I ordered a second bouquet and two of Magnolia’s ranunculus stems for adequate volume in the four-inch vase I chose to style it in,” Silva notes. “They created such a romantic aura when placed atop a few books on my nightstand.”

Dimensions: 11" tall | Features: Six stems in a bundle | Material: Polyurethane | Color: Light pink

A Magnolia reviewer says: “LOVE these faux peonies!! The color, the look, the quality.”

Magnolia Spray

Fittingly, Magnolia’s eponymous flower is a popular item for the retailer, selling like hotcakes this spring. And for good reason. Created to mimic the Southern magnolia, which features thick, glossy leaves and big, fragrant white blossoms, it calls to mind a lazy summer afternoon in Mississippi or Louisiana (it’s the state flower for both). In your home, it will add depth and dimension with its variety of neutral hues.

Unboxing: “These lovelies were a fitting installment in my high-contrast, black and white living room, with their soft and subtle color that brings interest and dimension to my vignette,” Silva says. “A 15-inch vase was the perfect size.”

Dimensions: 37" tall | Features: Four to five blooms per sprig | Material: Polyester, plastic, and wire | Color: White and auburn

A Magnolia reviewer says: “These are really pretty. The flowers and buds do not feel soft as ‘real touch’ but they are high quality. Leaves have soft feel and colors look real from both sides...Will definitely recommend these to others. Love them!”

Small Tulip Bundle

What is a garden—or a living room—without tulips? Among the first flowers to bloom in spring, tulips are associated with rebirth and new beginnings. Magnolia’s friendly peach-colored faux tulips are sure to bring a smile to any appraising guest.

Unboxing: “I’m here for a small bouquet moment,” says Silva, who plopped these faux flowers in a smaller container to be placed on her bookshelf or vanity. “The flower’s sizable leaves made for a generous assemblage.”

Dimensions: 13.5" tall | Features: 12 stems in a bundle | Material: Polyurethane | Color: Peach

A Magnolia reviewer says: “I love fresh flowers all around my home, tulips in particular, but don’t like the upkeep or expense. I’ve had fake ones before but they never looked very real. These are perfect! Everyone that sees them is shocked that they are fake. The look of the petals and leaves are spot on. I ordered more than one bundle!”

Faux White Lilac Stem

McGee and Co. is debuting this year a replica of the classic white lilac stem, and we’re ready. These flowering, woody plants symbolize everything from purity and innocence to love and passion. But to us, they simply symbolize that final spring-happy touch in a room.

Unboxing: “I’m obsessed,” says Silva, who says she had fun styling the flower on its own but will be investing in more. “The faux stem reminds me of my childhood backyard, and I’ll certainly be diffusing a lilac essential oil to create the nostalgia in full effect.”

Dimensions: 27" tall | Features: One bloom per sprig | Material: Polyester, plastic, and iron wire | Color: Cream

A McGee and Co. reviewer says: “As realistic as you can get!”

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