Artificial Trees

There is a trend toward adding a touch of "nature" to any decor, and artificial trees are ideal for home and offices, and also are popular for hotels and restaurants because they need little or no care. Most people are familiar with artificial "ficus trees" available in many discount stores for $50 or less. While these add a nice accent in some settings, most decorators will want to consider a quality faux tree for their home or business.

Some specialized or handcrafted artificial trees can be valued at thousands of dollars. Artificial trees look exactly like their live counterparts, but you get the added benefit of not having to worry about day-to-day care like watering, fertilizing or trimming. And you don't have to worry about the tree getting too big for its location. There's also no possibility of insect damage since the trees are treated. Another benefit of artificial trees is that they can be fitted into planters and urns like any live tree.

Also popular are silk topiaries, which can make a forlorn corner exude style!

A few popular palm tree varieties for indoor use include:

Kentia Palm trees typically a stubby trunk with long palm fronds shooting upwards. These palm trees are a popular decorating accent in offices. Washington Palm Trees offer a characteristic shaped with a bulbous base and standard palm fronds on the top. The artificial trees have stems, leaves and trunks so realistic that they can easily be mistaken for a natural plant. Cycas Palms can be used either outdoors or indoors and have lush foliage. The smaller varieties are ideal for table top while the taller trees can be used in room corners.