Buying guide for Which artificial flowers are the best?
Using artificial flowers in your floral arrangements is an excellent way to create a long-lasting display. Realistic materials and colors in today’s artificial flowers make for stunning arrangements. Whether you’re planning a large event or looking for elegant home decor, artificial flowers can breathe new life into any space while helping you stay on budget.
Finding the best artificial flowers takes a keen eye for detail and a sense of their real-world counterparts to craft an eye-catching faux flower arrangement.
What are the best artificial flowers to buy?
Best of the best artificial flowers
Fule Large Artificial Peony Silk Flower Bouquets
What you need to know: This pack of two peony bouquets includes additional greenery and is great for a variety of occasions.
What you’ll love: Two bouquets include 13 stems, six full-bloomed peonies, two buds, a few accent flowers and water grass for custom arranging. Silk construction gives a realistic appearance. The stems are iron wrapped in wire for easy shaping or cutting.
What you should consider: Some customers said the colors were a bit darker than expected.
Best bang for your buck artificial flowers
TYEERDEC Artificial Lavender Bundles
What you need to know: These bundles are a great choice for a modern minimalist decor.
What you’ll love: These flowers are available in four natural color combinations. They’re made of nontoxic plastic with a flock coating for a realistic appearance. Six bunches have five stems with five flowers each. The plastic is easy to mold and shape to fit your arrangements.
What you should consider: To fill out the look you want to achieve, you might need to buy multiple bundles.
Best for gifting artificial flowers
Dream of Flowers Galaxy Rose
What you need to know: This unique light-up flower encased in glass lends an air of romance to any room.
What you’ll love: The polyvinyl chloride Galaxy Rose is enclosed in a glass jar sitting atop a wooden base and surrounded by LED lights. The fairy lights impart a warm glow around the flower, creating a magical look. The lights have two settings: on and blinking. A luxury gift box makes it a natural gift for special occasions.
What you should consider: It takes a bit of assembly, and batteries are not included.
Best mixed bouquet of artificial flowers
Whonline Artificial Silk Flower Bouquet
What you need to know: This bouquet is an elegant and affordable option for a mixed arrangement of artificial flowers.
What you’ll love: Three bouquets of artificial flowers include a mix of hydrangeas, peonies, carnations, flower bubbles, plastic grass and dense leaves. Colors of each bouquet vary between champagne, pink and white for an effortless romantic look.
What you should consider: There aren’t any other color combinations available.
Best for everyday use artificial flowers
Mandy's Artificial Red Poppies
What you need to know: These artificial poppies give a high-impact look with little upkeep.
What you’ll love: The bright poppies are made from 90% polyurethane and 10% plastic, making the petals easy to clean and durable. Each bundle includes 30 individual flowers. The poppies are manufactured on a 1:1 scale to the real flower and have hand-painted details for a more natural look. They’re available in three color varieties as well as with an optional vase.
What you should consider: The plastic elements make these flowers look less realistic.
What to know before you buy artificial flowers
All the elements of real flowers are important to consider when buying artificial flowers as well, like how many and what type. To create a standout artificial arrangement, however, it’s also important to consider what materials were used in making the flowers.
Materials
Most artificial flowers are made of plastic, polyurethane or other manufactured materials, while more traditional artificial flowers may be made from silk, velvet or other textiles. The material determines how realistic the flowers look, how easy they are to clean and their cost.
Number of flowers
The number of flowers you need depends on the size of the vase or vessel you plan on using, how much space the petals need and how full you want your arrangement to look. Before you decide on flowers, choose a vessel so you know how many flowers will fit inside.
Flower type
Common types of artificial flowers include roses, peonies, carnations and hydrangeas, though you can find many others. Depending on the materials, different types of artificial flowers lend themselves to looking more or less realistic. For example, artificial peonies made of silk often appear natural, since real peony petals are soft and delicate like silk.
Length of flower stems
Artificial flower stems are generally long enough to fit most vessels or to bend and shape as you please. If you plan to hold them as a bouquet, you may want shorter stems. If you’re going to place the flowers in a vessel, you may need to adjust the length of the stems to fit neatly inside. Many artificial stems are made from wire or plastic, so you can cut them to your desired length.
Additional decor elements
Some artificial flowers come with accent pieces such as extra pieces of greenery, LED twinkle lights or even a matching vessel. Consider how you plan to use your flower arrangement and whether you need additional decorative elements to help bring the display to life.
What to look for in quality, artificial flowers
When shopping for artificial flowers, think about the size, shape and color of the real flowers you would display and find their artificial counterparts. Also consider where you’ll place these faux flowers, so you know how durable they need to be.
Size and shape
The size and shape of artificial flowers won’t necessarily match perfectly with their natural counterparts. If the real size and shape of your flowers is important to you, search for artificial flowers that are made on a 1:1 scale with the real thing. Otherwise, be mindful of the potential mismatch if your arrangement combines real and faux flowers. Also, keep in mind that you’ll likely need to fluff out your artificial flowers once you bring them home, so they may appear smaller when they arrive before you complete your arrangement.
Color
Artificial flowers today are available in many realistic colors. Most arrangements come in variety packs with slight variances in color to create a convincing bouquet. Some artificial flowers are even hand-painted to give a more natural appearance. Just like picking fresh flowers, consider what color palette you want and shop accordingly. Be mindful that if the artificial blooms are not UV-treated, they may fade if placed in direct sunlight for long periods.
Durability
Generally speaking, artificial flowers are built to last. After all, they are artificial and meant to hold up during long events and through high-traffic areas, temperature changes and multiple arrangements. However, some materials hold up better than others. Silk or textile flowers are more delicate than plastic or polyurethane ones. Keep in mind that all artificial flowers can get dirty. Regular dusting and spot cleaning will keep your faux flowers looking bright all year round.
How much you can expect to spend on artificial flowers
Small artificial flowers usually run between $5-$25. Mid-range flowers can cost between $25-$50, and more expensive options can cost between $50-$100, depending on the number and size of flowers, vessels or accessories.
FAQ
What are artificial flowers made from?
A. Originally, artificial flowers were made from hand-crafted silk. Once artificial flowers became more commercially available worldwide, materials such as velvet, gauze and crepe grew in popularity. Now, most artificial flowers are made from common manufactured materials like plastic and polyester.
Can you clean artificial flowers?
A. Yes. To keep your flowers looking lively and fresh, dust and clean your artificial flower arrangements regularly with a feather duster or microfiber cloth. If you need to access small crevices, use a fine soft-bristle paintbrush. To clean off dirt on your artificial flowers, try a 2:1 mixture of water and rubbing alcohol to gently dab away the grime. Test a small patch first to make sure the color doesn’t fade.
Can you mix artificial flowers and real flowers?
A. Yes. Combining artificial flowers with real ones in your floral arrangements is an excellent way to liven up the fake flowers and make your display stand out. Most artificial flowers can handle a bit of water, but make sure the stems can be submerged safely without staining or warping
