It’s hard to be a plant lady. I really tried! In the last 2.5 years, I’ve had 3 real fiddle leaf trees. I was told they were easy to care for…I beg to differ, lol! I either wasn’t watering it enough, or didn’t have it in a cool enough spot. Leaves were falling left at right. I was OVER it. My hopeful green thumb became a definite black thumb. And that’s ok. It’s alright to fake it every once in a while. Enter the FAUX fiddle leaf tree.
Ok, so I’ve convinced you to take the fake route, but which one do you choose? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. I bought 3 of the most recommended versions out there, and compared them all.
The Contestants
World Market’s 5 ft. Faux Fiddle-Leaf Fig Plant – $129.99
QVC’s 5 ft. Faux Fiddle Leaf Tree in Starter Pot – $58.50
Hobby Lobby’s 5 ft. Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree – $99.99
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At the first glance, the World Market tree looks the most like a real fiddle leaf, but let’s dive in and take a closer look. I certainly wouldn’t discount the overall look of the others quite yet!
None of the these will ever be able to perfectly resemble the imperfections of the leaves of a real plant, but some are closer than the others. The Hobby Lobby fig gives itself away as too fake with a lot of veining on very flimsy-feeling leaves.
The QVC fig’s leaves are large and have a waxy coating — being “waxy,” in this case, is a good thing — which gives the leaves a good weight and texture.
This World Market fig has the same waxy texture, but gets extra points for having more variety in the leaf shapes.
The texture and shape of the World Market fig branches has good leaf density and a tapered shape, along with some dry stems to seem more real.
My Hobby Lobby fig has super high texture, but the branches are meant to be spun and adjusted, however there are some really fake notches along where the stems meet.
The QVC tree has some drying out of the stems, which is what a fiddle leaf tree typically does.
Quick tip: When you get your fiddle leaf fig, plan to buy a small basket to put it in. The Hobby Lobby fig has plastic “dirt” that needs to be covered up, and both the QVC and World Market plants have very small bases that are sturdy for keeping the plant upright and straight, but would be a huge indicator that they are fake as well.
The Winners
For the price, the hands down choice is the QVC fig tree. For only $58.50, it is by far the BEST!
If you don’t mind spending a bit more, and want to get the most real look, then I would suggest the World Market version. It has some definitely strong faux features, including different leaf shapes and realistic branches. It also is a bit wider and fuller then the QVC option. It all depends what you need for your space.
If you love the look of the Hobby Lobby one, I would highly suggest this one by World Market (6 ft. Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree). It is pricier, but super well made just like the other one.
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Thanks for sticking with me on this faux tree hunt! Share yours in your space with us 🙂 xoxo, Laura
