Best artificial plants for offices Australia — what actually works
Plants in offices aren't just decorative. Research consistently links greenery in workspaces to lower stress, improved concentration and reduced sick days. The problem is that real plants in offices are notoriously difficult to keep alive — inconsistent watering, poor light conditions, weekend neglect and air conditioning all conspire against them. Someone always forgets to water on Friday. No one ever remembers over a long weekend.
Premium faux plants have become the standard solution for Australian commercial spaces, property stylists staging offices for photography, and home office workers who want the benefit of greenery without the maintenance overhead. Here's what actually works across every office type.
The home office — one statement plant, maximum impact
For most Australian home offices, the goal is simple: something that looks great on video calls, photographs well, and requires zero attention during busy periods. The single most effective home office move is one tall faux tree placed in the corner behind or beside your desk — visible in the background of video calls without dominating the space.
Faux Olive Tree 180cm
The undisputed home office choice. Open, airy structure that doesn't overwhelm smaller rooms. The silver-green foliage reads beautifully on camera — neutral enough to suit any backdrop, distinctive enough to notice.
Shop olive trees →Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig 180cm
More dramatic than the olive — suits larger offices or rooms with white walls. The large dark leaves create a striking contrast that's immediately visible on video calls. A design-forward choice.
Shop fiddle leaf →Reception areas — the first impression
Reception areas set the first impression for every client, candidate and visitor. They need to look impressive — and they almost always have difficult light conditions, typically positioned away from natural light. Faux plants are the obvious solution: they look impeccable regardless of light conditions and stay that way without anyone needing to remember to water them on Monday mornings.
Faux Majestic Olive Tree 210cm
The most commanding choice for double-height receptions and large lobbies. At 210cm, it fills a space in a way that reads as genuinely established rather than decorative. The darker, more mature trunk adds character.
Shop now →Faux Ficus Tree 180cm (pair)
Flanking the reception desk on either side. Symmetrical placement reads as intentional and designed. The structured ficus canopy suits corporate environments where calm authority is the aesthetic.
Shop ficus →Faux Kiku Flower Arrangement
On the reception desk itself. The sculptural round blooms look elegant and professional. Cream and ivory colourways suit most corporate colour palettes without competing with brand colours.
Shop arrangements →Faux White Flower Arrangement with Vase
A statement vase arrangement on a reception sideboard or console. The white and green colourways are universally suited to professional environments and require zero maintenance or replacement.
Shop flowers →Open plan workspaces — scale matters
Open plan offices have a different challenge: the scale of the space means a single small plant disappears into the room. A 90cm plant in a 10-metre open plan floor looks like something from the breakroom. The most effective approach is clusters of varying heights at key points — near the kitchen and breakout area, beside meeting room entrances, and at the ends of workstation rows.
Faux Bamboo Tree 180cm
Excellent as a natural divider between workstation clusters. The upright growth pattern and dense foliage creates visual separation without blocking sightlines. The real bamboo trunk adds immediate credibility.
Shop bamboo →Faux Palm Tree 160cm
Adds height and a distinctive silhouette that punctuates open plan spaces effectively. Best near breakout areas and kitchen zones where the tropical aesthetic suits a more informal environment.
Shop palm →Meeting rooms — the most overlooked space
Meeting rooms are often the most neglected space in an office from a styling perspective — and the space where the environment matters most for client perceptions. A well-chosen plant in a meeting room signals that the business takes its environment seriously. It also reduces the sterile, slightly intimidating quality of a bare-walled meeting room.
For meeting rooms, the right scale is 140–160cm — substantial enough to read as a design choice, compact enough not to dominate a space that needs to feel functional. A 160cm faux olive tree in the corner of a meeting room, paired with a simple floral arrangement in a black iron vase on the table, is one of the most effective commercial styling approaches we see.
What to avoid in office settings — and why
Avoid anything obviously plastic. A poorly chosen faux plant in a professional setting does more damage to the impression of your space than no plant at all. The tell-tale signs — uniform green with no colour variation, shiny plastic leaves, hollow plastic trunks — read as an afterthought rather than a deliberate design choice.
Avoid plants that are too small for the space. The most common mistake in commercial spaces. A 90cm plant in a 5-metre reception looks like a potted plant from the breakroom. Size matters in professional environments more than in residential ones.
Match plant personality to brand personality. A law firm or financial services office benefits from the calm, considered aesthetic of an olive or ficus. A creative agency or tech company might suit something bolder — a birds of paradise or palm. The plant should feel like it was chosen for the space, not just placed in it.
Trade program — for designers and commercial buyers
If you're an interior designer, property stylist, commercial fit-out specialist or facility manager sourcing plants for a commercial space, The Plants Corner's trade program is designed for you.
20% trade discount
Off every order across our full range — plants, pots, vases and floral arrangements. No minimum order value.
Priority 2-day dispatch
Trade orders dispatched within 2 business days. Project timelines matter — we treat commercial orders accordingly.
Extended 30-day returns
Double the standard returns window for trade members. If a piece doesn't work in the space, we make it easy to swap.
Dedicated project support
Send us your brief and we'll recommend the right pieces for your space within 24 hours. Humans, not bots.
Apply for trade access →Frequently asked questions
Do faux plants look professional in an office?
Premium quality ones absolutely do — the key is choosing plants with real wood trunks, two-tone foliage and quality pots. These signal a deliberate design choice rather than a budget shortcut. Our Giant Multi Branch Olive with Real Wood Trunk is our most convincing office plant — guests regularly ask if it's real.
How do I maintain office faux plants?
A light dust every 4–6 weeks with a microfibre cloth is all that's needed for indoor office plants. No watering schedule, no concern about weekends or holidays, no replacing plants that died over Christmas. For large commercial installations, a quarterly damp cloth clean takes less than an hour for an entire office floor.
What size faux plant works in an office?
Home offices: 160–180cm. Commercial reception areas: 180–210cm. Meeting rooms: 140–160cm. Open plan spaces: 180cm minimum — anything smaller disappears into the room. The most common mistake is choosing a plant that's too small for the space it's meant to anchor.
Do you offer trade pricing for commercial fit-outs?
Yes — our trade and wholesale program offers 20% off all orders, priority 2-day dispatch, extended 30-day returns and dedicated project support. Interior designers, property stylists, commercial fit-out specialists and facility managers are all eligible. Approved within 1 business day.
Shop for your office — delivered Australia-wide
From home office accents to large-scale commercial installations. Real wood trunks, premium quality, dispatched within 4 business days.
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