Best large artificial plants Australia — statement trees for high ceilings
The short answer: for a 2.4m ceiling, a 160–180cm tree is your ideal range — tall enough to read as a statement piece without feeling crowded. For 2.7m ceilings, 180–210cm trees come into their own. For 3m and above, a 210–240cm multi-branch tree is the right choice — anything shorter will look undersized and defeat the purpose of having high ceilings at all.
Large artificial plants are the single most impactful thing you can add to a room. Nothing else — not furniture, not artwork, not lighting — changes the feeling of a space as quickly and dramatically as a well-chosen 200cm tree in the right position. This guide covers every large faux tree in our range, exactly which ceiling height each suits, and how to style them so they look like they've always been there.
Australian ceiling heights — what you're working with
Understanding your ceiling height is the first step to choosing the right large faux tree. According to building regulations, the minimum ceiling height for habitable rooms in Australia is 2.4m — this is the standard for most older apartments, townhouses and budget new builds. Many newer homes opt for 2.7m ceilings, which is now the most common upgrade specification. Victorian, Edwardian and Federation homes frequently have 3m or higher ceilings, as do open-plan homes, double-height entries and commercial spaces.
| Ceiling height | Ideal tree height | Maximum tree height | Common in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4m (standard) | 160–180cm | 190cm | Apartments, townhouses, standard new builds |
| 2.7m (upgraded) | 180–210cm | 220cm | Premium new builds, renovated homes |
| 3.0m (high) | 210–240cm | 260cm | Victorian, Edwardian, Federation, open-plan |
| 3.5m+ (double height) | 240cm+ | No upper limit | Entries, commercial spaces, heritage buildings |
Our large faux trees — the complete range
Every tree below sits in the large category — 160cm and above. They are arranged by height so you can match directly to your ceiling height using the table above.
160cm trees — for 2.4m ceilings
Best for: Standard apartments, bedrooms, studies, and any room where a 180cm tree would feel too dominant. At 160cm a faux tree is unambiguously a statement piece — tall enough to anchor a corner or flank a sofa without competing with the ceiling.
Our 160cm range includes faux olive trees, fiddle leaf figs and birds of paradise. These suit the majority of Australian apartment stock and most townhouse living rooms. If your ceilings are 2.4m and you're unsure whether to go 160cm or 180cm, measure — a 180cm tree with a 30cm pot sits closer to 200cm total and will feel very tall in a standard-height room.
180cm trees — for 2.4m–2.7m ceilings
Best for: The most versatile large tree size for Australian homes. At 180cm, a faux tree makes an unambiguous architectural statement in any room with 2.4m or higher ceilings. In a 2.7m room it sits comfortably with 90cm of clearance — the ideal proportion. This is our best-selling size category for good reason.
The 180cm range is where our widest variety exists — multiple olive tree variants, fiddle leaf figs, ficus, palm, bamboo, and birds of paradise are all available at this height. If you're buying your first large faux tree and have standard to upgraded Australian ceilings, start here.
210cm trees — for 2.7m–3m ceilings
Best for: Premium new builds, renovated homes and any space where a 180cm tree consistently feels like it doesn't quite fill the vertical space. At 210cm, a faux tree commands a room — it is impossible to ignore and impossible to mistake for decoration. These are the trees that make guests ask where you found it.
Our 210cm majestic olive trees and multi-branch giants are in this category. They are appropriate for living rooms, entries and open-plan spaces with 2.7m or higher ceilings. In a 2.4m ceiling room, a 210cm tree will feel too tall — use a 180cm tree instead.
230–240cm trees — for 3m+ ceilings
Best for: Victorian and Edwardian homes, double-height entries, open-plan living and dining rooms, commercial spaces and anywhere a standard 210cm tree would look undersized. At 230–240cm, a faux tree fills vertical space that smaller trees simply cannot reach — the canopy extends into the upper third of the room and creates a genuinely immersive sense of being surrounded by greenery.
Our Faux Giant Multi Branch Olive Tree at 230–240cm is our most statement-making product and our best-selling tree by revenue. It is appropriate for 3m ceiling rooms and will look extraordinary in a double-height entry or open-plan space. Not recommended for ceilings under 2.8m.
Our top 5 large faux trees — specific recommendations
Faux Luxe Olive Tree 180cm
Our most popular product and the best starting point for anyone buying a large faux tree for the first time. Real wood trunk — the only tree in our range with genuine wood. Dense PE foliage, natural colour variation, bendable branches. Suits 2.4m–2.7m ceilings and virtually every Australian interior style.
Shop faux olive trees →Faux Majestic Olive Tree 210cm
For rooms that can carry it. At 210cm with a full multi-branch canopy, the Majestic Olive Tree commands any space with 2.7m or higher ceilings. Our second best-selling product by revenue. Natural trunk, dense silvery-green foliage. The definitive large statement faux tree for Australian homes.
Shop faux olive trees →Faux Giant Multi Branch Olive Tree
Our best-selling product by revenue overall. At 230–240cm with multiple branching trunks and a full, sweeping canopy, this is the tree for 3m+ ceilings, double-height entries and open-plan spaces. Genuinely fills a room. No other single piece of décor creates this level of impact.
Shop giant olive trees →Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig 160–180cm
The graphic, architectural statement tree for contemporary and Scandi interiors. Bold oversized leaves, strong upright form. One well-positioned 180cm fiddle leaf fig makes a complete design statement in any room with 2.4m or higher ceilings. Available in multiple heights.
Shop faux fiddle leaf figs →Faux Palm Tree 180cm
The statement tree for coastal Australian interiors. Arching tropical fronds at 180cm create an immediate sense of being somewhere warm and unhurried. Particularly effective beside a sofa, in an open-plan corner or on a covered balcony. Suits 2.4m–2.7m ceilings comfortably.
Shop faux palms →Faux Birds of Paradise 160–180cm
Strelitzia is one of Australia's most dramatic indoor plants and the centrepiece of coastal and resort-inspired interiors. The bold paddle-shaped leaves and upright form work beautifully in rooms where other trees feel too soft or too formal. Available in 160cm and 180cm.
Read the full guide →Where to position a large faux tree — placement that works
The diagonal corner. The most effective placement for a large faux tree in the vast majority of rooms — position the tree in a corner at roughly 45 degrees to both walls. This creates the illusion of depth, fills awkward corner space beautifully, and allows the canopy to spread outward into the room rather than being compressed against two walls.
Flanking a fireplace or TV unit. Matched pairs of large faux trees on either side of a fireplace or entertainment unit create symmetry and add scale to what is typically the visual focal point of a living room. This works best with olive trees or fiddle leaf figs — species with a strong upright form rather than sprawling tropical foliage.
Beside a sofa or reading chair. A single large tree positioned behind and beside a sofa creates an intimate, considered space. The canopy overhangs the seating slightly — the same effect achieved in professional interior photography and styling. At 180cm beside a standard 85cm sofa, the tree extends well above the back of the sofa and creates genuine visual drama.
In a double-height entry. Entries with high ceilings are one of the most underutilised spaces in Australian homes. A 210–240cm faux tree in a large pot makes an extraordinary first impression — it fills the vertical space, adds warmth and life to what is often a hard, underscaled space, and requires zero ongoing maintenance.
How to make a large faux tree look completely real
Shape the branches on arrival. Every large faux tree arrives with its branches compressed for shipping. Take 15–20 minutes on arrival to bend each branch outward and upward into a natural position — the difference between a tree straight out of the box and one that's been carefully shaped is significant. Think about how a real tree holds its branches and replicate that posture.
Cover the base. The nursery pot that comes with a faux tree is functional, not decorative. Place it inside a decorative planter and fill the gap between pot and planter with preserved moss, decorative stones or pebbles until the nursery pot is completely concealed. This single step has the most dramatic effect on how real a large faux tree looks — an exposed nursery pot is the most immediate visual signal that a plant is artificial.
Use a heavy pot. A large 180–210cm faux tree in a lightweight pot looks unstable — real trees of that height are planted in the ground or in very substantial containers. A fibrestone or ceramic pot with a minimum 40cm diameter anchors the tree visually and makes the whole arrangement look grounded and credible.
Position near natural light. Real trees grow toward light. Positioning a large faux tree near a window or in a naturally lit area takes advantage of the same instinct — the tree looks like it belongs in that position. It also means the light falls across the foliage naturally, catching the leaf texture and colour variation in a way that overhead artificial light rarely does.
Frequently asked questions
What size artificial tree is best for high ceilings in Australia?
For 2.7m ceilings — the most common upgraded ceiling height in Australian new builds — a 180–210cm faux tree is ideal. For 3m ceilings, a 210–240cm tree is more appropriate. The general rule is that a tree should sit at least 30cm below the ceiling to allow the canopy to spread naturally, and should be tall enough that it clearly fills the vertical space rather than sitting in the lower half of the room.
What is the best large artificial plant for an Australian living room?
For most Australian living rooms, our Faux Luxe Olive Tree 180cm is the best starting point — it suits every interior style, has a real wood trunk, and is our most consistently popular product. If your living room has 2.7m or higher ceilings and you want maximum impact, our Faux Majestic Olive Tree 210cm is the upgrade. For coastal or tropical interiors, our Faux Palm 180cm or Faux Birds of Paradise are the natural choices.
Can a large faux tree look real in a high-ceiling room?
Yes — and it often looks more convincing than in a lower-ceilinged room. The additional vertical space allows the canopy to spread naturally without feeling compressed, and a well-sized tree in a high-ceiling room has the same proportional relationship to the space as a real tree in an outdoor setting. The key factors are choosing the right height for the ceiling, covering the pot base with moss or stones, and shaping the branches carefully on arrival.
How tall should an artificial tree be for a 3m ceiling?
210–240cm is the ideal range for a 3m ceiling. A 180cm tree in a 3m ceiling room will look undersized — the 120cm of clearance above the canopy is too much and the tree will read as a medium plant rather than a statement one. Our Faux Giant Multi Branch Olive Tree at 230–240cm is the most appropriate choice for 3m ceiling rooms, particularly open-plan living and dining spaces or Victorian and Edwardian homes.
What is the best large artificial plant for a high-ceiling entry or hallway?
A 210–240cm multi-branch olive tree in a substantial fibrestone or ceramic pot is the most impactful choice for a double-height entry. The tree fills the vertical space, creates an immediate sense of welcome and warmth, and requires zero ongoing maintenance — important in a high-traffic area where a real plant would be constantly moved, bumped and stressed. Our Faux Giant Multi Branch Olive Tree is specifically designed for this kind of statement positioning.
Do large faux trees need a heavy pot?
Yes — for both stability and aesthetics. A 180cm+ faux tree in a lightweight pot looks visually unstable and tips easily. Use a fibrestone, ceramic or concrete pot with a minimum 40cm diameter for 180cm trees, and 45–50cm for 210cm+ trees. Fill around the nursery pot with decorative pebbles to add base weight and conceal the nursery pot completely. This combination — a heavy pot plus pebble ballast — makes a large faux tree stable, realistic and genuinely hard to knock over.
Shop large faux trees — statement pieces for every ceiling height
160cm to 240cm. Australian-owned, dispatched within 4 business days from Sydney. Free shipping on orders over a qualifying amount.
Shop large faux trees