$99 for a 3 ft tree, or $79 for a 5 ft one. That's the comparison we ran this week, and it's the clearest way into the fake plants vs real plants question.
A live bird of paradise from Bloomscape, a well-known online nursery, is listed at $99 for a plant 30 to 36 inches tall, pot included. Our faux bird of paradise, Birdy, is 5 ft tall and costs $79 at Corner Tree Co. So on day one, the fake tree is cheaper and about two feet taller. But price on day one isn't the whole story, so let's go through the questions people actually ask before they choose.
What does each tree cost in the first year?
Here's the breakdown for one bird of paradise in a typical living room. We left soil, fertilizer and grow light prices blank on purpose, because they swing a lot from store to store, and we'd rather not guess.
| Cost | Live bird of paradise | Faux bird of paradise (Birdy) |
|---|---|---|
| The tree itself | $99 (30 to 36 in, Bloomscape) | $79 (5 ft) |
| Height you get for the money | About 3 ft | 5 ft |
| Fertilizer | About every three months in the growing season | None |
| Fresh soil and repotting | Yes, as it grows | None |
| Grow light, if the room is dim | Often needed | None |
| Replacement if it fails in low light | Another $99 or more | None |
| Your time each month | Watering, checking soil, wiping leaves | One dusting |
The fertilizer schedule isn't our opinion. UF/IFAS Extension recommends fertilizing bird of paradise about every three months during the growing season and watering often for the first six months while roots settle in.
When does a real tree end up costing more?
Mostly when it dies. And indoor trees die for one boring reason more than any other: not enough light.
The olive tree is the classic example. NC State Extension lists it as a full-sun plant, meaning six or more hours of direct sunlight a day. Most living rooms, bedrooms and offices don't come close. So the real olive drops leaves, you buy a grow light, and if that doesn't work, you buy a second olive tree. That's the hidden line in the budget: the replacement.
A faux tree like Ollie, our 6 ft faux olive at $89, costs the same in year three as it did on the day it arrived. No light, no water, no second tree.
Is the time difference really that big?
For one plant, it's maybe an hour a month. Watering, checking whether the soil is too wet or too dry, turning the pot toward the light, wiping dust off big leaves, and the occasional pest check. Real palms, for example, commonly pick up scale insects and mealybugs, according to UF/IFAS Extension.
A faux tree needs a once-a-month dusting with a dry or lightly damp cloth. That's it. The time doesn't sound like much until you're away for two weeks in August and someone has to come water the tree.
Don't real plants clean the air, though?
This is the argument we hear most for real plants, and it's mostly a myth at home scale. A 2019 Drexel University review looked at decades of studies and found you'd need between 100 and 1,000 plants per square meter of floor space to match what normal ventilation already does. One tree in the corner isn't doing measurable air cleaning. A cracked window does more.
That doesn't make real plants pointless. Lots of people simply enjoy caring for them, and that's a fine reason to buy one. It just means air quality shouldn't be the deciding factor.
What about pets?
This one cuts in favor of faux for certain trees. The ASPCA lists the real bird of paradise as toxic to dogs and cats, mostly from the fruit and seeds. A faux version removes that risk, though you should still discourage a determined chewer from snacking on any decor. Our trees also have weighted bases that recover from bumps of up to 8°, which helps when a dog's tail sweeps past.
Does it change for offices and rentals?
It does, and usually in faux's favor. In an office, someone has to own the watering, and plants in conference rooms tend to be nobody's job. Many offices also have long stretches with the lights off, so real trees struggle even more than at home. We wrote a separate guide on which tree fits which workspace.
For renters, a faux tree moves with you. No drips on the floor, no soil in the moving truck, and no handing your fiddly real tree to a neighbor because it won't survive the trip.
So when is a real tree the better buy?
We'd pick a real tree if all of these are true: you have a spot with several hours of strong light, you like the routine of looking after plants, and you're home most of the time. In that case the extra cost is part of the fun.
We'd pick faux for everything else: dim corners, windowless rooms, busy schedules, frequent travel, pets that chew, and offices. If you're worried a fake tree will look fake, here's how to tell if a fake tree will look real before you buy.
The short version
Real trees win on the joy of growing something. Faux trees win on cost per foot of height, on the cost of replacements and on time. For most rooms that need a tree, faux comes out ahead by the end of the first year.
Browse all of our faux indoor trees, from the 4 ft Pals pair to the 6.5 ft Cabana palm. Shipping is free on every tree, and for every tree you buy, we plant a real one through One Tree Planted. That's the deal at trees that look alive and need nothing: you get the look, and a forest gets the real thing.
Sources
- Bloomscape: Bird of Paradise, live plant listing (price checked November 3, 2026)
- UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions: Bird of Paradise
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox: Olea europaea
- UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County: Foolproof Palm Care, Areca (Butterfly) Palm
- Drexel University: Study Finds Potted Plants Do Not Improve Indoor Air Quality (2019)
- ASPCA: Bird of Paradise Flower (Strelitzia reginae)
Frequently Asked Questions
Are fake plants worth it?
They're worth it when the spot doesn't get several hours of strong light, when you travel often, or when you've already lost a real plant or two in that corner. If you have a bright window and enjoy watering, a real plant can be the better buy.
How long does a faux tree last indoors?
Many years, as long as it stays out of long stretches of harsh direct sun and gets dusted now and then. Sun is the main thing that fades faux leaves, so a spot a few feet back from a south or west window is ideal.
Is a real tree cheaper than a fake one?
Sometimes at the checkout, but often not for the same height. A live bird of paradise about 3 ft tall costs $99 at Bloomscape, while our 5 ft faux Birdy is $79. Add soil, fertilizer and the risk of replacing a tree that fails in low light, and the real tree usually costs more over time.
Do real plants clean indoor air better than fake ones?
Not by a meaningful amount in a normal home. A Drexel University review found you'd need 100 to 1,000 plants per square meter of floor space to match what a building's ventilation already does. Open a window if fresher air is the goal.
Are fake trees bad for the environment?
Faux trees are made of plastic, so they're not a green product in themselves, and we don't pretend otherwise. They're designed to last instead of being replaced, and for every tree we sell, we plant a real one in a U.S. forest through One Tree Planted.
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