Have you ever bought fake flowers that looked great online… and terrible once they arrived?
Too shiny. Too stiff. Too plastic. And definitely not realistic.
Because if a flower is obviously fake, then it’s doing more harm than good in your home. Yup. I said it. If it looks fake from across the room you’re better off with nothing or drying some flowers to use in a dried arrangement year-round.
I’m pretty particular when it comes to fake plants and flowers, so over the years I’ve tested a lot of faux stems while decorating my home. Some are surprisingly convincing. From roses to lilies and even peonies, these are some of the best artificial flowers I’ve come across.
Today I’m sharing some of the best fake flowers I’ve found, plus the stores that consistently carry the most realistic ones, and a few simple tips to ensure you style them to look their best.
If you love the look of fresh flowers but don’t want the cost or upkeep, good faux flowers can be a great alternative. The key is choosing stems with natural color variation, flexible petals, and realistic leaves so they blend in with your decor instead of looking obviously artificial.
What Makes Fake Flowers Look Real
Not all faux flowers are created equal. The most realistic stems tend to share a few important characteristics that make them look more like the real thing.
• Natural color variation in petals
• Flexible or wired stems
• Matte leaves instead of shiny plastic
• Slightly irregular shapes
Once you start looking for these details, it becomes much easier to spot the good ones.
If you love decorating with florals, you might also enjoy my guide to decorating with flowers around the home.
The Best Fake Flowers That Look Real
If you want faux flowers that actually look convincing, some varieties are much easier to replicate than others. These realistic faux flowers consistently look the most natural in home decor.
Artificial Roses
These are my go-to faux roses. They’re real-touch stems, so the petals have a soft texture that makes them look surprisingly realistic.
They’re available as single stems in white, pink, and pink/yellow. You can also choose between fully bloomed roses (shown below) or stems that are just beginning to open, which helps an arrangement look more natural.
The stems are a nice brown color and look realistic. The leaves are probably the least convincing part, but once you group several roses together in a vase, they’re mostly hidden anyway.
I especially love the white ones, but they do tend to yellow over time, so you may need to replace them eventually. I also have them in pink, and those haven’t discolored at all.
Another detail I like is the realistic pollen center, along with the subtle color variation and veining in each petal.
White Rose Stem
Pink Rose Stem
To bolster a small arrangement of real flowers, I sometimes mix in a few of these faux roses to make the arrangement feel fuller.
Faux Tulips
Tulips are beautiful in their simplicity, but I don’t love when real ones start to droop after a day or two. Thankfully, Amazon has the most amazing faux tulips I’ve found.
These come in a variety of colors and feel surprisingly realistic. The stems are flexible, so you can even bend a few of them to droop slightly, just like real tulips.
I originally bought the white version thinking they would work beautifully year-round. But after storing them for a season and pulling them back out later, I noticed they had yellowed a bit.
Apparently white and other light-neutral faux stems made from polyurethane can be prone to yellowing over time as the material ages. Because of that, I’d probably choose one of the colored versions instead, since the discoloration is much less noticeable.
Fake Tulip Bunch
Artificial Peonies
Realistic peonies are very hard to find. Many look good from a distance but appear obviously fake once you get up close.
These artificial peonies, on the other hand, hold up surprisingly well even at close range. I love how they look, although they don’t have the soft feel of real flowers, so they’re best placed somewhere people won’t be tempted to touch them.
I have four different varieties in this bunch (shopping links are at the bottom of the post). I haven’t clipped them down for a vase yet, so for now they’re simply bundled together.
The center stems are my favorites. They have more of a latex-like texture than silk and feature beautifully ruffled petals with detailed veining that makes them look especially realistic.
These center ones have more of a latex feel than silk and are my favorite because of their ruffled petal and detailed veining.
Fake Peony Stem
Fake Lilies
I love the way lilies smell, but hate the mess they create if you don’t cut the stamens. Plus, I realize that lilies have a polarizing scent – you either love them or hate them!
Using fake lilies for your display solves the problem!
I think these lilies look very realistic. They have spotting on the inside of the petals, just like real lilies. The leaves and flowers are all wired so that you can bend them into a realistic shape. They come in a few different color options, including white, white with yellow centers, and pink. Mine are the all white ones.
White Lilies
Flowering Branches
I love this set because they’re bright, airy, and look beautiful in a vase. I’ve used them in my kitchen, my entryway, and my family room.
One caveat… they can be a little messy. The small blossoms tend to shed, so you may occasionally find a few scattered nearby.
Flowering Branches
Cherry Blossom Stems
I love decorating with large flowering branches, but for the longest time I couldn’t find faux ones I’d actually recommend. Afloral has beautiful cherry blossom stems and a great reputation for quality florals, but they are $40+ per stem.
Instead, I tried these cherry blossom branches from Amazon and have been really happy with them.
The color and shape of the blossoms look very natural, and each branch has four flowering offshoots. The base of each offshoot is wired so you can shape the branches and arrange them however you like.
The one downside is the main stem. It’s quite shiny and has a slightly purple-brown tone that doesn’t look very realistic. My solution was simple: I wrapped the stem in brown floral tape, which instantly made it look much more natural.
Cherry Blossom Stems
Snap Dragons
Okay, this might sound like a weird one. I know most people aren’t sitting around wishing they had artificial snapdragons… but hear me out.
These are amazing. I saw them in the store and was so convinced they were real that I had to touch them. Even then they felt realistic.
Naturally, I had to pinch them to see if they would talk. (I’ll save you the embarrassment — they don’t.)
Aside from that small disappointment, they’re incredibly realistic and add beautiful height to an arrangement.
Snapdragon Stem
Fake Hydrangeas
I have a lot of white hydrangea stems that I use around the house all the time. The problem? I never loved any of them enough to actually recommend… until now.
I recently bought this bouquet and I’m officially in love. I can’t get over how realistic they look.
In fairness, they are on the expensive side. Mine happened to be on clearance when I bought them, so it’s worth keeping an eye out for a sale.
White Hydrangea Bunch
In My Cart – Fake Lilacs
These stems are currently in my cart because I fell in love with them the first time I saw them! Since I don’t own them (yet), I can’t personally vouch for how realistic they are, but the reviews are very promising.
These might be my next purchase.
Lilac Spray
My Favorite Places to Buy Fake Flowers
Over the years I’ve tried faux flowers from a lot of different stores. Some look great online but disappoint in person, while others consistently offer realistic stems that hold up well in arrangements.
These are the places I’ve had the best luck finding high-quality faux flowers.
Michaels
This is my personal favorite and my number one stop when I’m on the hunt for flowers. Look for words like “real touch” in the descriptions, since those tend to look the most realistic.
Afloral
Afloral has one of the best reputations for realistic faux flowers. Their stems tend to be very detailed, and many are made with real-touch materials, although they can be on the expensive side.
Amazon
Don’t underestimate Amazon! There are some surprisingly realistic stems available if you know what to look for. Several of the flowers I shared above came from Amazon.
Be sure to read the reviews and check customer photos if they’re available.
Pottery Barn
Pottery Barn can be a bit hit or miss in my opinion. My hydrangeas look convincingly real, but other stems only look good from a distance. They do always have a beautiful selection, though, so it’s worth checking.
Target
Target occasionally carries very nice faux florals at a more affordable price point, especially in their seasonal collections.
6 Tips For Making Fake Flowers Look Real
1. Pick Quality Flowers with Good Reviews
The first step is to actually pick flowers that look good. No matter how well you “dress up” a cheap looking flower, it’ll still look cheap. Artificial flowers don’t have to be expensive, but they can’t look cheap!
Artificial is a price. Cheap is a look.
2. Fluff Your Flowers
Fake flowers are usually packed tightly for shipping, so they often look a little squished when you first take them out.
Take a minute to fluff the leaves and petals as much as possible. Simply use your hands to smooth out any creases and reshape the stems. If you can, even bend a few petals slightly backward for a more natural look.
3. Cut to Fit Your Vase
One of the nice things about faux flowers is that they usually come with long stems so they can fit a variety of vases. It’s tempting to just bend the stems so you can reuse them later in a different container.
That’s fine… unless your vase is glass.
Nothing gives away fake flowers faster than seeing a wired stem bent up inside a clear vase. If you’re using glass, it’s best to cut the stems to the correct length.
4. Consider Adding Real to Fake
I love mixing real flowers with faux ones or even adding a bit of greenery clipped from the garden.
This subtle combination makes the arrangement look more natural while also helping it feel fuller.
5. Add Some Water
If you’re using a glass vase, add just a little water to the bottom. This small detail can make a surprising difference.
Just remember to change the water occasionally so it doesn’t become cloudy.
6. Be Sure to Dust
When was the last time you saw a dusty arrangement of fresh flowers?
Exactly.
Dust is one of the quickest ways to give away fake flowers, so make sure to clean them regularly. A soft cloth works well, or you can use an air canister like the ones used to clean computer keyboards.
Shop My Favorite Fake Flowers that Look Real
More Decorating Tips
- How to Easily Dry Hydrangeas for Beautiful Displays
- The BEST Fake Plants That Look Real
- How to Make Ordinary Grocery Store Flowers Look Amazing
- Decorating with Flowers
- 6 Tips for Creating Beautiful and Stylish Interior Design Vignettes
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