Are Artificial Plants Bad Feng Shui?

Feng shui, a practice that has guided the arrangement of spaces for millennia, has also quietly influenced how we design and live in our homes.

Rooted in a deep understanding of nature, this ancient art has shaped palaces, humble dwellings, and commercial spaces to achieve balance. Feng shui principles have much to say about different aspects of our decor, including faux greenery.

With the rise of popularity of fauxliege in modern interiors, it’s worth asking: are artificial plants bad feng shui? How do you use fake plants for good feng shui?

We’ve found the answers to all these questions and more. But let’s start at the beginning.

What Is Feng Shui?
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese practice of arranging buildings and objects or decorating spaces to achieve harmony. Also called Chinese geomancy, its origins trace back to 5000 BC.

The practice was embedded in many Chinese cultures, particularly those near the Yellow River. Although it began earlier, feng shui flourished during the Zhou dynasty. At that time, the Chinese believed that the earth reflected the heavens and that everything in nature was interconnected. This belief led to the idea that humans should foster this connection, bringing feng shui principles to everyday life.

The term “feng shui” translates to “wind water” and symbolizes good health. Over time, the practice became synonymous with good fortune. At its core, feng shui is about the flow of energy and how the arrangement of objects can impact our well-being and emotions.

Feng Shui and Plants
Plants play a vital role in feng shui. They’re conduits of growth, vitality, and prosperity. In plant feng shui, the placement of plants within a space contributes to the flow of positive energy, or “chi.”

At the root of feng shui for plants is the idea that they balance the forces in a room and bring good energy. As a result, plant feng shui is about intentionally using plans to create balance, enhance energy flow, and foster well-being.

But does this narrative extend to artificial plants?

Are Artificial Plants Bad Feng Shui?
No. Artificial plants are not bad feng shui.

Traditionally, feng shui has emphasized using plants for positive energy. But as our lifestyle and habits have evolved, the understanding of artificial plant feng shui has also shifted.

While some think fake plants are bad feng shui because they’re not alive, that’s an opinion rooted in myth. Feng shui indeed favors natural plants because they’re a part of nature itself. But if you don’t have the conditions or the green thumb to look after them, it’s much better to have a faux alternative with the same appearance over a dead plant.

Feng shui consultants will be the first ones to tell you to discard any withered or dying plants as soon as you see there’s little hope left. The point of having plants in your home is to sustain the “chi”. Dead plants can’t sustain any energy, let alone a positive one.

Artificial plants can’t put you in such a predicament. So, they’re a safe bet for serial plant killers who want to adhere to feng shui principles.

How to Use Fake Plants for Good Feng Shui?
Incorporating artificial plant feng shui into your living or working space is an easy way to achieve balance. Luckily, you don’t need a background in interior design to use fake plants for good feng shui.

Even without the natural energy of real plants, a well-chosen good feng shui plant, even if it’s faux, contributes to the flow of chi in the space.

For beginners, we suggest following some tried-and-tested advice on decorating for feng shui with artificial plants. The internet is laden with these, but here are some ideas to help you start:

Choose Lifelike and Colorful
a mix of lushy green walls and faux potted flowers
If you can’t have real foliage in your home, be picky with the faux plants you browse. When selecting artificial plants for feng shui, opt for ones that closely resemble their natural counterparts.

While this may be common sense, many suppliers sell faux plants that look nothing like what they claim to imitate.

High-quality artificial plants should be vibrant, but not neon. They should be colorful, but not circus-coated to the point where they don’t even look like plants anymore. A good feng shui plant can mimic the energy of real plants, but it has to look the part.

So, prioritize plants with rich, natural colors and detailed textures. For example, check out this vivid faux Bougainvillea hanging plant or this luscious Philodendron bush. Look for plants that could fool you, too.

Put Them in a Good Location
jacuzzi and private pool with faux vertical garden
The placement of your artificial plants can mean the difference between feeling the feng shui benefits or bypassing them.

In feng shui, different areas of your home represent various aspects of life, like health, wealth, or relationships. If you’re following classical feng shui, the eight compass directions in your room should be your North Star.

Here are the directions and which area of life they rule:

West: Descendants
East: Health
South: Recognition
North: Career
Southwest: Love
Southeast: Wealth
Northwest: Mentors
Northeast: Education
So, to attract wealth, you’ll need to place your plant in the southeast corner of your room. Don’t forget to place your fauxliege in well-lit areas to simulate the conditions where real plants would thrive.

Choose Leafy Over Spiky
full coverage artificial vertical garden
In feng shui, the shape and form of a plant’s leaves indicate the type of energy it brings into your space.

This denotes that leafy, rounded plants are the better choice for creating a soothing environment. The soft shapes of the plant promote a gentle chi you’ll love having in your home. For example, the Monstera Split Leaf Philodendron stem is what you should be looking at for good feng shui.

On the other hand, spiky or sharp-leaved plants can generate harsh or aggressive energy. So, even though we love all our faux plants, you might want to stay away from faux hanging garlands with spiky leaves.

Clean Them Regularly
Although artificial plants don’t need the same care as real ones, keeping them clean will maintain their feng shui benefits. Dust and dirt accumulate on the leaves, which will dull your faux plant’s shine and remove the illusion.

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