Faux-bulous
How many of us have heard the tale about a friend or relative who was house sitting and watered a fake plant because it looked real? Yes, modern faux botanicals are that realistic.
Tim Hennesy, managing director of Silkflowers.com, said the materials and manufacturing processes have advanced so much in the past six or seven years that it can be virtually impossible to tell the difference between live and faux plants and flowers — even if you touch them.
“Ten or 15 years ago a blossom would be woven polyester, pressed and cut out. It may fray and, with the way we dyed them, you hoped that the dye would seep into where you wanted the color. Now, with hand painting and airbrushing, color gets to where you want it. The material is coated with a thin layer of rubber, which stops the edges from fraying, and then airbrushed paint is put on top of the rubber.
“We also use other materials for the flowers. For example, the phalaenopsis orchid is made of thin rubber that is cut and pressed so true that you get the exact feel of a real orchid. You cannot tell the difference.”
Creating the illusion of a live botanical is just one benefit of artificial flowers and plants.
The obvious major difference between the two types of arrangements is that “a silk plant never needs to be watered,” said Kristine Hicks, home décor buyer for Overstock.com.
It also “brings an added element of greenery to your home without any messy cleanup,” she said.
Hennesy said the stems of live fresh-cut flowers have to be recut about every three days, along with having to clean the vase and change the water. Additionally, the dust from flowers’ stamens can leave permanent stains, especially if it falls on a white tablecloth, he said.
Caring for an faux arrangement is simple. Hennesy said the new materials are more resistant to dust and can be cleaned, often just by taking the plant outside, hosing it off and letting it drip dry.
He does recommend that the arrangements be kept out of direct sunlight and that the plants and flowers be placed in an appropriate-sized container, if a complete arrangement isn’t purchased.
According to the company, the most common mistake when decorating with artificial botanicals is choosing a container that is too small.
“It screams fake and reduces the effectiveness of the whole presentation,” he said.
One of the biggest advantages of faux botanicals is their longevity. Instead of having to replace cut flowers or plants that don’t perform well, a faux arrangement can last about seven years, Hennesy said.
Keeping this longevity in mind, Hennesy said the company has a team of designers who create arrangements with classic themes as well as colors that are trending.
“When we make our floral arrangements, we have fabrics and patterns in mind. We know what colors are in. Florists are just using whatever flowers they are getting for the season, whatever flowers they have. That may be OK for seven days, but you may not want to live with it for seven years,” he said.
“Real plants and flowers can be costly and difficult to maintain, so this is a great way to save money while still being green!” Hicks said.
Being green takes on a different connotation when you consider the journey fresh-cut flowers take to reach your home and their carbon footprint, Hennesy said.
The flowers, grown and harvested around the globe, require a great deal of energy and fuel to make it from their points of origin to the wholesaler to the retailer and then to your home.
“I love fresh-cut flowers, if I bring them in from my yard or if they are locally grown. That’s fantastic,” he said.
According to Hennesy, choosing a single silk arrangement instead of weekly fresh botanicals would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 99.98 percent, even when considering that the arrangement is manufactured in China and shipped by boat to the United States. The carbon dioxide emissions of the boat and train needed to get the arrangements to the company’s warehouse in Cincinnati is considerably less than the emissions from airplanes used to fly fresh-cut flowers from the growers to consumers.
For those who don’t want to view the same arrangement every day, Hennesy suggests rotating four arrangements by season, using flowers or plants that would be grown at that time of year, such as hydrangeas for summer.
He said the company also has a growing collection of succulents that would be ideal for Las Vegas’ desert environment.