Artificial plants vs. live plants — when does each work best?
This is one of the most common questions we get from business customers: when are artificial plants the right choice, and when are live plants better? The answer isn’t always the same. Here is an honest overview based on nearly 30 years of experience supplying greenery to businesses.
The short answer
Live plants work best where there is time for maintenance, natural daylight, and the ability to replace what dies. Artificial plants work best in dark spaces, high-turnover environments, for allergy sufferers, in spaces with strict fire safety requirements, and where maintenance isn’t a priority.
Most successful office environments use both.
Maintenance and time
An average potted plant requires around 15–30 minutes of care per week — watering, fertilising, pruning, repotting as needed. For an office with 20 live plants, that’s 5–10 hours per week. Many businesses solve this by hiring a plant care service, which typically costs 500–1,500 SEK per visit.
Artificial plants require zero maintenance. No watering, no fertilising, no repotting. They look the same on day one as they do five years later.
When do artificial plants work best?
- In dark corridors, stairwells, and spaces without natural light
- Environments that must meet fire safety requirements (e.g. B/S2/D0)
- Environments with high staff turnover where maintenance responsibility falls through the cracks
- Restaurants and hotels where visual impact matters more than authenticity
- Large trees where a live equivalent would cost hundreds of thousands over time
When do live plants work best?
- In reception areas where visitors are up close and can see the detail
- In spaces with natural light and engaged staff
- When you want seasonal variation and change
- As a complement in an environment that otherwise uses artificial plants
Our experience: often the answer is “both”
The smartest office environments we’ve seen combine the two. A live plant in reception gives a natural feel right where visitors first encounter the company. Artificial plants fill dark corridors, high ceilings, and hard-to-reach spots. The result looks better than an office with only live plants — or only artificial ones.
Artificial plants that look real
The quality of artificial plants has improved enormously. Our plants use the same moulds as real botanicals, and our “real touch” flowers are waxed or silk-matte so they feel natural to the touch. Many visitors to our stores think they’re standing among live plants.
Explore our range of artificial trees, potted plants, hanging plants, or outdoor plants — or book a free consultation where we visit your premises and assess your space.