Best Outdoor Fake Plants For a Patio or Balcony

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I love the aesthetic of plants, and I’m definitely not alone. They’re super trendy right now and for good reason. Plants add some natural elements and greenery to any space. But what do you do when you love plants, but not the whole keeping them alive thing? You grab the best outdoor fake plants, of course!

Let’s just have a moment of silence here for my three office plants that are on their last legs of life. No matter how good my intentions are I always manage to forget they exist. And that means forgetting to care for my plants properly. 

Why You Should Use Artificial Plants Outside

Although plants tend to do better outside than indoors, it’s still a lot of upkeep. Especially if you’re trying to care for potted plants on a deck or patio that don’t get a lot of rain. Besides not being great with live plants, there’s plenty of reasons to opt for artificial instead. 

First of all, artificial plants are often less expensive than real ones. Most of the time they even come in a nice pot so you don’t have to worry about any extra purchases.

Second, fake plants let you enjoy the look or aesthetic of tropical plants and other types that don’t normally grow in your climate. 

Third, you won’t need to worry about weather, sunlight, rain, and so on. In some parts of the world (like where I am, for example) the weather isn’t always great at night. Live potted plants need to be brought in overnight often during May and September. Forgetting even once can be enough to kill a plant.

If you want plants for a shady deck, porch, or balcony that doesn’t get a lot of water and sunlight, artificial plants are a great option. 

What Should You Look for in Fake Outdoor Plants?

When choosing fake plants for outside you have to take more things into account than with artificial indoor plants. Outdoor plants should be UV resistant to prevent fading, durable, heavy enough that they don’t blow away, and have a way to drain in case they get wet.

You should also think about the space you’re decorating. The fake plants you buy for an outdoor table centerpiece are going to be different from what you might need to decorate your balcony.

It also depends on what kind of style you want. You can get almost any kind of real plant in an artificial variety. You may want to go with tropical plants, fake succulents, or French country flowers. It’s up to you!

The Best Outdoor Fake Plants for Every Space

Artificial Snake Plant

QL DESIGN Artificial Snake Plant 26 inches Fake Sansevieria Artificial Potted Plants for Indoor and Outdoor, Home, Office Decoration

Snake plants are classic for decorating! Although this one is OK outside, it’s recommended that you put it somewhere that’s covered and protected from the elements. It would be a great addition to a backyard porch or balcony. It’s a bit on a small side, but it’s so realistic that it makes up for it.

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Pros:

  • Very realistic (seriously!)
  • Pot (base) can be set inside another container easily

Cons:

  • Small
  • Needs to be protected when outside

Mynse Daisy Flower Artificial Hanging Plant

Mynse Flo Daisy Flower Artificial Hanging Plant Home Balcony Indoor Outdoor Decor Fake Flower Hanging Basket with Chain Flowerpot (Big Basket with Artificial Daisy Flowers) Flo

Do you ever envy those people who have beautiful hanging flower baskets off their balcony or in their garden? Me too, but I never seem to be able to get them quite as nice. This basket of fake flowers solves all those problems and you won’t need to replace your baskets year after year. 

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What’s interesting about this set is the flowers don’t come inside the basket. You actually have to arrange them yourself! Which may or not be a good thing depending on your interests.

Pros:

  • Holds up great in the sun and rain
  • Comes with everything you need to create a flower arrangement

Cons:

  • Not super realistic (especially the green stems)
  • Have to assemble yourself

Premium Artificial Succulent Plants

Premium Artificial Succulent Plants - 18 Pack - Fake Succulent Plants Variety Pack With Small, Medium & Large - Unique Feaux Succulent Plants Unpotted For Patios And Home Decor - Artificial Succulents

Succulents are gorgeous, but definitely don’t thrive in every climate. Don’t let that stop you from bringing some desert aesthetic into your backyard! This set comes with 18 different fake succulents.

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Unlike other artificial plants, you’ll need to come up with projects with these yourself. You can create one large arrangement or “plant” them individually in small containers. The choice is yours!

Pros:

  • Includes a variety of colourful succulent plants
  • Most look realistic

Cons:

  • Set doesn’t include pots
  • Some of the plants are small

CROSOFMI Artificial Monstera Deliciosa

CROSOFMI Artificial Monstera Deliciosa 1.5m

I can’t get enough of tropical plants right now so I just had to include this beautiful Deliciosa on this list.  You can buy this one in three different sizes which is perfect for a more dynamic look. If you’re like me and live somewhere a plant like this would never survive then this is perfect.

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For decorating outside, though, make sure you put it in a weatherproof pot or keep it in a covered area.

Pros:

  • Realistic looking
  • Great price for the size
  • Bendable into your desired shape

Cons:

  • Pot that it comes in isn’t very nice
  • Wind knocks it over easily

Outdoor UV Resistant Fake Flowers

JEMONG 12 Bundles Artificial Grasses Outdoor UV Resistant Fake Grass No Fade Faux Plastic Plants Garden Window Box Decorating(Green Grass)

These flowers come in a bunch of colour options to match whatever vibe you’re going for. They’re specifically designed to be used outside which means they’re weatherproof and UV resistant. I love that they’re super bright and actually look pretty realistic, even amongst natural greenery. 

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Pros:

  • Can be shaped into natural positions
  • Enjoy “blooms” all summer long
  • Resists fading even when out in the sun

Cons:

  • You may need multiple bundles to fill a pot
  • Look less real close up

Fake String of Pearls

CEWOR 4pcs Fake Hanging Plants, String of Pearls Plant Artificial Hanging Succulents Greenery Wall Backdrop Decor, Artificial Plants Indoor for Home Garden Outdoor Decoration

Succulents are gorgeous, but exotic plants like string of pearls don’t always grow well in every climate. You can use this 4 pc set to “plant” succulents inside or outdoors. Put them in a hanging pot, have them “climb” down a wall, or rest them on something for a bit of greenery.

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These plants are really well made and look lifelike, especially when hung outside. You could also pair them with other succulents in your planters.

Pros:

  • Comes with multiple plants that can be used together or separately
  • Realistic
  • Doesn’t fade in the sun

Cons:

  • Individual strands not very thick
  • Darker green than in the pictures
  • Have a smell when you order them but it goes away

Fopamtri Artificial Areca Palm Plant

Fopamtri Artificial Areca Palm Plant 4.6 Feet Fake Palm Tree with 15 Trunks Faux Tree for Indoor Outdoor Modern Decor Feaux Dypsis Lutescens Plants in Pot for Home Office, DECOR POT IS NOT INCLUDED

Palm tree type plants make me feel like I’m on vacation, even at home. This artificial plant looks just like real life areca palm plants, which typically are only found in tropical environments.

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Adding a few of these on the deck, patio, or around the pool would definitely add vacation vibes to your yard this summer. Even if you live far, far away from the tropics like I do.

Pros:

  • Looks real from far away
  • Comes potted
  • Tall

Cons:

  • Stems aren’t as realistic as the leaves
  • Somewhat sparse
  • Looks better in a different pot

What are the Best Outdoor Fake Plants?

All of these plants are great options depending on the vibe you’re going for. I like fake plants that look realistic, but I also find that when you put them outside they actually look more real, not less.

I love that when these plants blow over you don’t end up with a huge mess of dirt or mulch to clean up. Especially on the patio or around the pool! 

The best outdoor fake plants are the kind that look great and hold up to the weather. Out of these plants, the Deliciosa is hands down the best buy. 

Tropical aesthetics are hard to pull off in most parts of the world, especially if you live somewhere that doesn’t have great weather. Fake plants like this artificial deliciosa can make a huge difference when it comes to decorating. 

I love having a few of these plants on the back deck. They add much needed greenery and make you feel like you’re on vacation right in your backyard.

Once you put this artificial plant into another pot it will be hard to tell the difference between it and the real thing!

Final Thoughts on the Best Outdoor Fake Plants

Even though you have to care for fake plants a lot less than real ones, there’s still a few things you should do to extend their life. First of all, when you’re using fake plants outside make sure to bring them in when the weather is really bad. That means not leaving them outside in severe weather or during below freezing winter temperatures. 

Most artificial plants have bendable leaves. You’ll probably have to bend yours back into place throughout the summer if you have a lot of wind, rain, or the plant gets knocked frequently. 

You should also keep kids and pets away from fake plants as much as you can. While they’re definitely more hardy than real ones, a lot of touching or being knocked over can damage even the best quality artificial plants and flowers.

But the advantage of choosing the best outdoor fake plants is that you can enjoy luscious greenery or beautiful flower blooms for a lot longer each season! 

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