One of the most frequent questions I get is about my fan palm stems I use around our home. Sometimes they’re real, sometimes they’re faux. But the general consensus is that it can be really tough to find a decent faux fan palm or palm leaf! So, a few months back, I ordered a bunch of options and put them to the test to share which ones I think are the best overall. Today I’m sharing those results.
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Faux fan palm stems and palm branches have become a go-to staple for adding tropical charm and sculptural elegance to interiors – especially in coastal, modern, or boho-inspired spaces. Their wide, architectural leaves bring texture, height, and visual interest to a room without the upkeep of real plants. Whether you’re styling a single stem in a vase or building an arrangement for your dining table or console, the right faux fan palm can elevate your décor instantly. It’s one of my favorite ways to add life to a space! And while I now have access to cut fresh ones any time I need them, I still rely on faux options (thanks mostly to the cats). So today I’m sharing where to buy faux fan palms, all the options I tested, and how I’ve styled some of the options over the years.
Where to Buy Faux Fan Palms and Palm Stems
When searching for a realistic faux fan palm stem, pay close attention to the material, color variation, and detailing. High-quality stems are typically made from silk, fabric, or plastic with a matte or slightly textured finish that mimics natural fibers. Avoid anything overly glossy if possible, which can look artificial. Look for subtle veining and tonal variation in the leaves, as real palms aren’t a uniform shade of green. The stem should also have a natural-looking shape, with gentle curves or slight imperfections that add to its authenticity. Size matters too. Choose a scale that suits your vase and space, and don’t hesitate to bend or trim the stem for a more natural, organic silhouette.
Here’s a roundup of the best places to buy faux fan palm stems, from budget-friendly options to ultra-realistic designer picks:
1. Afloral
- Why it’s great: Afloral is known for its high-quality, lifelike faux botanicals, and their fan palm stems are no exception. Many of their options have realistic detailing and natural coloring.
- Price range: $18–$38 per stem
- Style notes: Great for neutral, minimal, and organic interiors.
- Website: afloral.com
2. Crate & Barrel
- Why it’s great: Their faux palm stems are elegant and timeless—perfect for more refined or transitional coastal homes.
- Price range: $24.95–$49.95
- Style notes: Pairs beautifully with ceramic vases or rattan vessels.
- Website: crateandbarrel.com
3. Pottery Barn
- Why it’s great: Pottery Barn’s faux greenery skews luxe, with generously sized palm stems that make a dramatic statement.
- Price range: $29.50–$69.50
- Style notes: Ideal for larger arrangements or floor vases.
- Website: potterybarn.com
4. Amazon
- Why it’s great: Amazon offers a wide variety of faux fan palm stems at different price points, making it easy to find something that suits your budget and quantity needs.
- Price range: $12–$40 for sets of 2–6
- Style notes: Quality varies, so read reviews and look for images in customer photos.
- Website: amazon.com
5. Etsy
- Why it’s great: Etsy sellers often offer handmade or unique palm stems with artisanal finishes or custom colors.
- Price range: $10–$60
- Style notes: Perfect for custom arrangements or one-of-a-kind home styling.
- Website: etsy.com
6. CB2
- Why it’s great: CB2 carries chic, contemporary faux palm options that feel sleek and modern.
- Price range: $24.95–$54.95
- Style notes: Great for black-and-white palettes, modern coastal, or urban lofts.
- Website: cb2.com
7. Target (Threshold & Hearth & Hand)
- Why it’s great: Target offers affordable and stylish faux stems through its in-house brands, often designed in collaboration with Joanna Gaines or Studio McGee.
- Price range: $5–$20
- Style notes: Perfect for casual, approachable coastal or farmhouse décor.
- Website: target.com
Tips for Styling Faux Fan Palm Stems
Whether you’re going for casual beachy vibes or sophisticated coastal elegance, faux fan palm stems are a versatile way to bring the outdoors in—no watering required. With so many beautiful options on the market, you’re sure to find the perfect stem (or two) to elevate your space. Following are some tips for styling faux fan palm stems and palm leaves.
- Use a tall, narrow-neck vase to hold stems upright without falling over.
- Don’t be afraid to trim or bend the stems for a more natural, asymmetrical look.
- If they have wire in the stems or tips, bend the in a way that mimics a real palm.
- Display them solo for a clean, sculptural moment or pair with multiple stems for added dimension.
The Fan Palms and Palm Stems I Tested
At the end of the day, it’s pretty clear that faux fan palms are hard to create to look 100% realistic. However, there are still some great options (and some really terrible ones). Here are the ones I purchased and my thoughts on each are offered further down in the post where I show them styled.
Faux Fan Palms & Palm Branches Styled Around Our Home
I styled many of the faux fan palms and palm branches listed above around our house recently and over the years. I’ll show you how they each look, but first I wanted to share a couple images of fresh saw palms I’ve clipped and used for a reference point.
Shortly after we moved in to this house, I used fresh saw palms for the first time and I was obsessed. Sadly, so are the cats, so I now tend to keep them outdoors when I do clip them. I found these particular stems down in Watersound by the beach. They were in a landscapers discard pile from some trimming they were doing and they happily let me take them off their hands!
LIVING ROOM SOURCES: Sofas (read my full review here) | Chairs | Coffee Table | Indoor/Outdoor Lido Striped Rug | Linen Pillows | Patterned Pillows | Oversized Baskets | Vase | Similar Grapewood Branch | “Surf Tribe” | “Joie” | “Summer to Summer” | Ceramic Urchin Catchall | Roman Shades (Bonaire Flaxen weave)
Here’s a look at fresh fan palms on our covered porch.
SCREENED-IN PORCH DINING SOURCES: Outdoor Dining Table | Outdoor Dining Chairs | Rope Pendant Light | Cordless Table Lamps | Table Cloth | Place Mats | Faux Bamboo Flatware | Vase
And here’s a smaller fresh version I clipped from our yard for our carriage house bedroom refresh. If your vessel or vase is really short, don’t be afraid to chop the stem rather short to accommodate! Sometimes faux options need to be treated the same way if you want them to look realistic.
CARRIAGE HOUSE BEDROOM SOURCES: Rattan Bed (similar here) | Nightstands | Herringbone Rug | Lamps | Gallery Frame Kit | Florida Pennant | Gulf Coast Pennant | 30A Pennant | Sand Pennant | FL Pennant (many states available) | Shells Botanical Print | Tulip Shell Print | Striped Wallpaper | Oceana Wallpaper | Downloadable Art Prints | 30A Matchbox Printable | Striped Linen Duvet Cover | Organic Bamboo Sheets | Gauze Throw Blanket | Paint Color: Farrow & Ball Borrowed Light
Now let’s jump to some of the faux options. I have labeled them in parenthesis to coordinate with the flat lay above so you can see them in comparison to other stems in this post.
The first faux fan palm I ever owned back in Omaha is still one of my favorites ever! I literally remember the day I bought them in Minneapolis with Stewart family friends (maybe seven years ago?). They are so lifelike and came from Pottery Barn but sadly they stopped making them that year (so I did not include them in the flay lay above). I still own them because I loved them so much! But I think they started my love affair with fan palms. Since then, I’ve been on high alert to find another really great alternative.
POOL HOUSE KITCHEN & BAR SOURCES: Headlands Basket Pendant Lights | Aged Brass Star Sconces | Striped Runner Rug | Riviera Backless Counter Stools | Outdoor Swivel Counter Stools | Cabinet Ball Knobs | Drawer Bin Pulls | Trash Drawer Pull | Faucet | Counter Depth Fridge | Beverage Fridges | LVP Floors | Blue Serving Board | Similar Faux Palm Fronds | Blue Vase | Cabinet Colors: BM Simply White (perimeter) & BM Santorini Blue (island) | Countertops: White Macaubas Quartzite
In terms of scale, and a larger more dramatic option, this set (1) is my favorite! I currently have them in our entryway but have used them in a number of places over the years. The one thing to note is that they put a very thick metal rod in the stem on this one. Not a big deal but just know that you can easily bend the stem if you’re going for a shorter look. I had to have Kurtis use a saw to cut it off!
SOURCES: Faux Fan Palms | Vase | Similar Conch Shell | “Saints of Old Florida” | “Surf Like A Girl” | Cane Box Set | Lamp | Console Table
A more recent find is this stem (2) from Afloral (also available here but typically with shipping charges). Interestingly the reviews aren’t great but it is one of my favorite options. It’s darker in color than most, but I like that it’s lighter in the center and gets darker out towards the tips, making it more lifelike. I have the stems bent here in this vase so they work with taller vases too. I like that they are fairly matte and there is some irregularity in the fronds.
SOURCES: Faux Fan Palms | Vase | Woven Tray | “Beach Life” | “Joie” | “Surf Tribe”
In our carriage house, I recently used these stems (also available here) (3). They’re not quite as life-like but are still a nice budget-friendly option.
SOURCES: Dining Table | Dining Chairs | Round Jute Rug (comes in many shapes and sizes) | Faux Fan Palms (also available here) | Blue Vase | Hats: old from my personal collection over the years
I didn’t get a chance to photograph option 4 (other than in the flat lay above) but it is a decent budget option! The one thing I didn’t love is that the stem has a bunch of notches every inch or so. If you plan to keep it shorter, it wouldn’t be an issue at all.
This next set of fan palms (5) is a great value and on the smaller size for spaces that you don’t need something super dramatic. The stems are incredibly long for the size so don’t be afraid to cut (or bend) them if needed. But it also makes them a great option for really tall and narrow vases! We have a bunch of them at both Hola Beaches and Hola Beaches Casita.
BUNK ROOM SOURCES: Wavy Headboards (also here) | Striped Rug | Nightstand | Ceiling Fan | Gallery Frames | Pennants (Hola, Surf, 30A, Gulf Coast, Swiss Cross, Beach House) | Similar Palm Pillow Covers | Lamp | Vase | Fan Palms (also available here)
This foam option (6) is fun for party decor but they’re a bit too small and vibrant to work for daily decor around the house in my opinion. But they’re really cute in person!
I also ordered this variety pack of 60 palm stems with very low expectations. Which is good, because I was not impressed. Ha! I didn’t even bother to photograph them above. This is one of those situations where a high volume of high reviews is very puzzling to me! This may work great if you have a party you’re decorating for or setting up a photo backdrop. But personally I would not use them in decor. All 60 of mine came rolled in a piece of plastic wrap about 4″ wide so they were super smashed. The leaves on these are more of a fabric material which I think makes it clear they’re faux. They are a great option if you need volume but I’d pass on these for decor.
If you love a more neutral look, I really love these dried fan palms (smaller pack found here) in the fall. But if you have a more neutral decorating palette, these are so pretty year-round!
FALL LOFT SOURCES: Sectional | Long Console Table | Bronze Linen Pillow Covers | Reversible Plaid Pillow Covers | Tassel Lumbar Pillows | Lamps | Woven Tray Set | Scalloped Wood Bowl | Vase | Dried Fan Palms
In terms of palm branches, I still really love this option (7) from Pottery Barn. I’ve had them for three years now and still love them. Now that we’ve moved to Florida, I purchased three more because I use them so much. One thing to know is they are very large. I’m a fan of oversized greenery but just make sure you have a vase or space that can accommodate these!
ENTRYWAY SOURCES: Faux Palm Branches | Tall Dipped Vase | White Raffia Chest | Mirror | Woven Tray | Indoor/Outdoor Striped Rug | Lantern Light Fixture | ‘It Is Well’ Art
The only other option I’ve found recently is this set of eight palm tree leaf stems (8). They’re much smaller than the PB version but are a really great option for the price. They’re a great value and they look great clustered in a vase!
Lastly, if you’re looking for a faux palm tree, we have this one at Hola Beaches Casita and love it! We placed it in a HomeGoods basket and it was good to go!
BEDROOM SOURCES: Faux Palm Tree | Vases | Disc Beads | Dresser
I hope you found all of this info on faux palms helpful!
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