Artificial office plants: the experts' opinion

Artificial plants often get a bad rap - people assume they’re tacky, bad for the environment, and ultimately pointless.

While there’s certainly some truth to these concerns, there are also strong counterarguments. Let’s take a balanced look at whether artificial plants deserve their reputation.

First up, the perennial question (see what I did there 😉)—are fake plants naff?

We’ve all seen sub-par artificial plants that do more harm than good to a space. Some installations are so obviously fake that you wonder whether binning them would be an improvement. A case in point: the atrocious fake planting I spotted in a shopping mall last week.

However, it really comes down to three key factors:

Quality – High-end replicas can look incredibly realistic.

Positioning – Thoughtful placement makes a big difference.

Substrate – The base and surrounding elements need to match the setting.

If you get all three right - and ideally, integrate some live planting too - you’ll end up with something that looks fantastic. Take a look at this example from Octopus Energy, where high-quality artificial planting brings their canteen to life.

This is a common question we get: do replica plants actually have any of the benefits of real plants?

As surprising as it may sound, artificial plants do provide us with some psychological benefits.

There have been some studies on this particular point, one example being a study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology which assessed the physiological and psychological responses of adults exposed to different visual stimuli: real plants, artificial plants, photographs of plants, and no plants. The findings indicated that while real plants had the most significant positive impact, artificial plants also contributed to stress reduction and improved mood, though to a lesser extent. 

Another helpful study is The Influence of Genuine and Artificial Plants on Cognitive Performance Tasks by Holly Geraci, however, whilst the results are interesting, they are not considered statistically significant.

This is a question of what the replica plants are made from. Most of the man-made materials used in artificial plants require fossil fuels to produce, and some of them can't easily be recycled—neither of these things are good for the environment.

However, some materials are worse for the environment than others, for example, PVC can't easily be recycled, whereas PE (polyethylene) can be recycled, or at least downcycled.

They don't require any maintenance, so there's a reduction in travel requirements, unless it's part of a joint live and replica installation in which case this isn't so relevant.

On balance, in comparison to live plants, they're bad for the environment. With this in mind, we're constantly hunting for environmentally-friendly replica plants.

A key positive for artificial plants lies in their ability to be fire rated.

This is in comparison to preserved planting which isn't fire rated and live planting which remains a grey area.

Many types of replica planting have fire ratings with certification meaning they can be used to provide greenery in areas where it may not otherwise be possible.

Artificial plants come with a higher upfront cost than live plants, but they require no maintenance, additional lighting, or irrigation.

While the initial investment can be significant, the long-term savings on maintenance—no watering, pruning, fertilising, or replacing dying plants—can make them a more cost-effective option over time.

However, it’s worth considering that live plants offer health and productivity benefits, such as improved air quality and workplace satisfaction. These benefits, while difficult to quantify, can contribute to a more positive and productive environment, which may offset some of the cost advantages of artificial plants.

Additionally, artificial plants do have a finite lifespan. While they don’t need watering or feeding, lower-quality replicas may fade, degrade, or become outdated over time, leading to replacement costs. High-quality artificial plants, however, can last for many years, making them a more sustainable option in terms of longevity.

One of the biggest advantages of artificial plants is their ability to thrive in areas where live plants would struggle. Low-light environments, such as interior offices, corridors, and underground spaces, often make it difficult to sustain real plants without additional grow lights or careful species selection.

Artificial plants completely bypass this issue, maintaining their vibrant appearance regardless of lighting conditions. Additionally, they are ideal for locations with restricted watering options, such as high-up installations, retail displays, or areas where maintenance access is limited. This makes them a practical and aesthetic choice for spaces that otherwise wouldn't be able to support greenery.