We can name hundreds of benefits of houseplants – from adding beauty and class to your living space to benefiting your health.
Fake plants can achieve that too – minus the part about supplying oxygen to your house. For instance, decorating your home with artificial indoor plants can make you feel calmer and more composed, minimizing your stress levels.
But even so, there are still uncertainties surrounding fake plants. For instance, plant lovers have been asking whether fake plants can cause cancer and whether they absorb sounds, among other questions.
We’ve collected some of the most frequently asked questions about artificial plants, so read on to learn the answers.
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Do Artificial Plants Look Tacky?
This is one of the most common questions about fake plants, and it’s a fair one, given that there are a lot of poor quality products on the market. We are so passionate about this question, we wrote an entire blog about it.
The short answer to this question is: Yes, some cheap artificial plants can look tacky. When it comes to artificial plants, you really do get what you pay for. Don’t expect high-quality, realistic-looking artificial plants for just pennies. The quality really does depend on the price.
The right price will get you high-quality artificial plants, which are far from being tacky. While they might be expensive, beautifully made artificial plants can fool even the trained eye.
So the actual answer is cheap fake plants can look tacky. Expensive fake plants can actual rival the beauty of live plants.
Do Fake Plants Absorb Sound?
Ever walked through a forest and been amazed at the silence? That’s because the plants in the forest absorb all ambient noise.
Plants can absorb as much as 50% of the sound in a room. Yes, you heard that right. That’s quite a reduction!
The great news is that fake plants work as well as real ones in absorbing sound. Their leaves, branches, and stems work wonders in absorbing sound.
So, can any fake plant absorb sound in the home? Unfortunately, the answer is a no. Whether the plant absorbs sound depends on several factors, including its type and placement in the house.
The key to using artificial plants as a way to absorb sound is to find bushy or large-leafed plants that reflect sound waves and reduce their intensity. Examples of good fake plants that can absorb sound include artificial ferns and artificial rubber plants.
Do Artificial Plants Fade in The Sun?
Sunshine is good for the soul, but it may not be as good for your artificial plants and flowers. Ultraviolet rays break down the chemical bonds on most objects, making them fade. Solar heat and visible light also cause fading.
So, to answer the question fake plants can fade over time when they are left in direct sunlight.
So, how can you protect your indoor and outdoor artificial plants from fading?
You can use a UV artificial plant spray. It won’t protect your plants from fading forever, but it can add months or years of usefulness to your fake plant arrangements.
You can also buy high-quality, UV-resistant plants, rotate your plants, and keep them clean to prevent them from fading.
Do Artificial Plants Attract Bugs?
Perhaps the worst thing about live plants is that they attract bugs. You’ll be relaxed in the house enjoying your favorite TV show, and you notice a creepy insect crawling on the seat or your shirt.
But is this the case with artificial plants? Do they attract insects?
The short answer is that fake plants do not attract insects. Most fake plants are made from plastic, rubber, and silk, which don’t attract arachnids or bugs of any kind. However, that’s not to say that bugs won’t find their way into your artificial plants.
Other factors with your plant arrangement attract bugs, including your potting. I recently decided to re-pot an artificial outdoor plant on my deck and found that a colony of ants had moved into the potting material. So, yes. It happens that your fake plants may have bugs.
As with any potted plant, the key is to make sure you occasionally spray your pot and plant with a mild pesticide or use an organic substance that repels bugs.
Do Artificial Plants Cause Cancer?
This is understandably one of the most searched questions about artificial plants. Fake plants are made of plastics, and some plastics can cause cancer. But your TV is made of plastic, so is your laptop, utensils, washing machine, etc.
Everything made of plastic in your home can cause cancer, but most don’t because their levels of plastic are low.
The key is understanding the levels of plastic and the gasses they emit when heated or cooled. As with everything, do your research and purchase high-quality artificial plants that don’t off-gas volatile organic compounds.
If you want to purchase artificial plants but are nervous about them, start by using them outdoors. There is nearly no chance that an off-gassing would harm your health in an outdoor location like a deck or a patio.
Do Artificial Plants Last Outdoors?
Not to sound like a broken record, but it all comes down to what types of artificial plants you purchase, where you place them, and how you maintain them. If you buy cheap artificial plants at a box store, plant them in a full-sun location, and don’t protect them…they won’t last.
If, however, you purchase high-quality artificial plants, rotate them with other artificial plants between sunny and shady locations, and protect them with UV spray, they can last for years.
So, the way to make your plants last outdoors is to buy high-quality fake plants. Some of the easiest-to-maintain outdoor fake plants include boxwood topiary and agave plants.
Final Thoughts On These Questions About Fake Plants
If you’re looking to improve your décor either inside or out, artificial plants have a lot to offer. They’ll make your living space greener and more attractive to the eye. When it comes to buying an artificial plant for your home, though, we know you have questions, and we hope we’ve answered most of them here.
However, if you still have questions about artificial plants, drop them in the comments, and we’ll do our best to answer them.
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I put up a screen of fake leaves for privacy on my porch. Since then, my.porch became a real.bird-toilet? Is it possible that the fake leaves attract birds or is it purely coincidence?