This post was inspired by a client who recently asked us about the difference between real vs. faux houseplants. Why would you choose one over the other?
Many years ago, when I moved into my first condo, I was finally ready to commit to a plant. Faux wasn’t even on my mind at the time and trotted down to Ikea and purchased myself a beautiful palm that was about 5 feet tall. It was perfect and we were a match made in heaven.
Until a few months later, I noticed this thing crawling across my living room floor. When I started to investigate where it came from, I discovered there were generations of creepy crawlies living and thriving in my planter! That was it.
The very next day, I asked my then boyfriend over to remove this plant immediately from my place. There’s a lot of things I insist on doing on my own but to this day, I will not go near bugs of any kind! It took a very long time after that for me to trust another plant in my house. I’m sure you’re laughing but let me say real houseplants aren’t for everyone.
I am now fond of my live houseplants, and actually prefer the real over the faux version, but only after I’ve spend many years learning how to take care of them and how to ensure that having real plants doesn’t bring bugs into my home.
Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each, starting with the real deal.
Real Houseplants
What are the pros of having real plants around your home?
PROS
They look amazing. Can we start there? Yes, there are faux plants that look almost real but show me one and I’ll still be able to tell if it’s not real. There’s something so natural about real plants that can’t be replicated.
They are good for you. They clean the air in your space and they are known to reduce stress. You feel more comfortable and at ease in rooms that have plants.
Taking care of a plant can reduce anxiety and depression. I was never much of a gardener until a few years ago I moved into a condo with a good size terrace that allowed me to start a little container garden. It’s amazing how good this non-gardner feels when I spend time tending to my little garden.
They are known to boost productivity (that’s why many offices have them. If you don’t, you should!). They are also known to help you recover from illnesses faster. Who knew?
During the pandemic, we definitely saw more requests to incorporate plants into rooms we design.
CONS
Now onto the cons for having real plants around.
The biggest is that it’s a living thing you need to care for. If you’re not good with remembering to water or you travel frequently or have a busy lifestyle, real plants may not be right for you, at this time.
Did you know that if you don’t bother having a live plant in your home, you might be commitment phobic?
The other big con for having live plants around is the creepy crawlies that it is bound to attract, like what happened to me years ago.
You may also want to consider the type of real plants you can have if you have fur babies around your home. There are many plants that can be poisonous to cats and dogs.
Real plants can be a hazard for human babies too.
You may be limited in your selection if your space does not get much direct sunlight.
Faux or Artificial Houseplants
Faux plants have come a long, long way. They almost look real these days.
PROS
Faux flowers and plants are perfect if you’re not the greatest plant parent or have no desire to be that but you still want to add a little bit of greenery into your space.
Fake plants are the best way to enjoy a beautiful houseplant without the stress of having to take care of it. They are also great if you have pets but you may still want to keep them out of reach of young children.
You won’t have to worry about introducing pests into your home with faux plants either. The best part, you can’t kill a fake plant!
CONS
As for cons of artificial houseplants, there are still a lot of faux plants that are not high quality. You will still need to do some maintenance like regularly dusting the leaves and petals.
The biggest downside for a fake plant is that they are forever. If you get tired of it eventually and decide to toss it out, that thing will be around even after you’re gone. In my books, that’s a big negative.
Life in 2021 I think requires a little mix of both. If you are able to opt for real, go for it and mix in some faux if you have a corner that doesn’t get a lot of sunlight or might be a bit too cold for the specific plant species you want.
Want some plant ideas for your home? Checkout this post here.
