Succulents are a popular plant choice, whether they're used for interior decorating or to add a touch of green to a commercial project. But when making your choice, you may be faced with a question: should you go for real succulents or use the increasingly popular artificial succulents? This article will provide an exhaustive comparison from multiple dimensions to help you make the right choice in terms of aesthetics, practicality, cost control and post-maintenance.
Natural Beauty and Low Maintenance: The Superficial Advantages
Real succulents win the hearts of many with their natural appearance and structure. They are suitable for indoor growing, have the ability to store water, and grow well in warm, dry environments. With proper care, they can bring a natural, fresh look to a space and have some air-purifying abilities.
Water management is a big challenge
While succulents don't require a lot of water, because of this they are highly susceptible to over- or under-watering. Many people overestimate their water requirements, which results in damp and moldy plants, soft, mushy or yellowing leaves, which seriously affects the ornamental value. If water management is neglected for a long period of time, it can also lead to plant death.
To further complicate matters, too much water and too little water can lead to similar problems. Sometimes you see leaves wilting and yellowing and it's hard to tell if it's because of too much or too little watering. In addition, poor soil and nutrient deficiencies can cause similar phenomena. In order to maintain the plant's health, the soil needs to be replaced every one to two years, making it more difficult to manage.
Lighting Problems Affect Growth Status
Sunlight is an important factor in the growth of succulents, yet their dependence on sunlight also carries hidden risks. If there is not enough light, succulents will grow, i.e., the plants will “stretch” toward the sunlight, appearing normal but weakening, affecting their structure and aesthetics.
On the other hand, too much light can cause problems. Leaves may develop brown spots or fall off, especially in the heat of the summer, and the condition of the plant is more likely to be jeopardized. Even with proper watering control, it is difficult to completely avoid the dual effects of light and temperature.
Extremely sensitive to environmental changes
Although transplanting or changing pots is a routine operation in maintenance, real succulents tend to be “emotional” about it. They may grow slowly or even decline as they adapt to their new surroundings, and if they are not careful, they may be lost. This sensitivity to the environment complicates the maintenance of succulents and places higher demands on buyers and project managers.
Maintenance-free, solving the problem of “water, light, soil and temperature”
Artificial succulents are also known as “fake succulents” or “replica succulents”. The most significant advantage is that they require no water, soil or sunlight at all, eliminating all the risks associated with growing real plants. Even if you leave them unattended for months, they won't rot, wilt or deform, greatly reducing the stress and cost of after-sales maintenance.
Constant Color and Design Freedom for Commercial Project Aesthetics
In real plants, even the same species of succulents may vary greatly in their growing state and final color. However, artificial succulents offer highly consistent color, shape and texture choices, which are especially suitable for commercial display spaces, window displays, model homes, hotel lobbies or office landscaping that require uniform aesthetics.
Designers are free to customize leaf shapes, color shades and sizes according to project needs, achieving the ideal layout of greenery and maintaining consistent “health” throughout the year.
Environmentally Friendly and Durable, Suitable for Long-Term Projects or Bulk Deployment
Artificial succulents are made of durable materials that are not easily broken and can be reused. These products are especially useful in commercial scenarios that require bulk deployment and less post-production management. They are suitable for long-term display purposes, avoiding the transportation and management costs associated with frequent replacement.
Indoor decoration: such as hotel lobbies, showrooms, conference rooms, retail stores.
Outdoor display: suitable for closed glass display cases, outdoor projects where water supply is inconvenient.
Bulk purchase: suitable for building developers, commercial chain stores, wedding decoration, festival display.
Export trade: stable transportation, not easy to damage, suitable for long-distance wholesale delivery
If you pursue the natural plant atmosphere and have the ability to carry out professional maintenance, real succulents are undoubtedly a viable choice. However, if you are more concerned about ease of use, less maintenance later, uniform color and long-lasting beauty, artificial succulents provide you with a more flexible and cost-effective solution.
