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Artificial Plants

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If you like the idea of low maintenance planting which suits your budget and colour scheme, you may consider artificial plants.

Designed to look like the real thing, artificial plants are now more realistic than ever, and can brighten up a dark corner or an area which does not have the best environment for real plants.

Artificial plants can also be designed in colours that nature has not yet mastered, colours which suit your corporate colour scheme and which would have been unattainable through use of real plants.

Contact an eFIG supplier near you to find out if they can provide artificial plants for you through our Find a Contractor page.

Artificial and Preserved plants

This fact sheet explains how artificial plants are made and gives advice on how to specify them.

Manufacture

Artificial trees can be made on real wood, Cocoa or Bamboo stems. They are either imported ready made from the Far East or made in the UK with imported foliage.

Imported Trees

  • These have a standard leaf count and tend to be consistent in size and shape.
  • They are usually cheaper then British made trees but can be of variable quality.

British-made trees

  • These trees are made to order, so it is possible to specify an exact height, shape and leaf count.
  • Most are built on ash trunks which are coated in preservative, drilled and the foliage is hot glued into place.
  • Smaller trees will be concreted into plastic pots whereas larger trees are supplied in individual trunks, which are bolted into place on site.

Bush and Trailing Vines

  • Smaller plants and trailing vines come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and colours. Used as a base plants they can add colour and interest.
  • A high level vine can range from 300 to over 1800mm as single vines or bushes.

Flame-retardance

Untreated, artificial foliage is flammable. It can be flame retarded in two ways:

Inherent

  • The foliage is impregnated with flame retardant during the manufacturing process.
  • This protects both the foliage and the plastic to BS 5438.
  • Many of the tree foliages are now available in inherent but the range of base plants is still limited.
  • Where possible this is preferable.

Sprayed Foliage

  • Non inherent foliage can be treated with flame retardant chemicals. This is applied with a hand spray by a contractor or specialist.
  • In schemes with in situ planting, treatment is normally done on site. It is important to note that, as the flame retardant is water soluble, the planting should thereafter be dry dusted or cleaned by specialist.
  • Protection should be specified to BS 5867 & BS 5438.

Maintenance

Regular maintenance is essential not only keep the plants looking fresh but also to extend the life of the scheme. Frequency of cleaning will depend on location; planting in public places and entrances may need cleaning every 2 to 3 months, in offices 6 monthly may suffice. Your contractor will advice on a suitable programme.

If the plants have been sprayed with flame retardant, the cleaning chemical should incorporate flame retardant to ensure the certification is maintained.

Specifying Artificial Planting

If you have to draw up a specification for an artificial planting scheme the following points may be helpful.

If the trees are made to order you can specify

  • Overall height
  • Diameter of canopy (on a standard tree this would be half of overall height)
  • Shape of canopy
  • Leaf count ( most manufacturers will have standard leaf count for their trees which can be increased or decreased to suit the style of tree required)
  • Inherent or non inherently fire rated foliage

Free-standing Displays

  • Displays can be simple specimens or have underplanting.
  • The quality of specimens varies considerably from “promotional” trees which generally have a low leaf count to a purpose made British trees. Consider which is most appropriate for the scheme. Ask for a sample if necessary.
  • The top dressing on a display is normally a clay pebble (LECA). In public areas it is advisable to have this bonded.
  • High Level
  • Consider the length and density of trail required and height of any upright plants. Planting is usually in polystyrene blocks, which may be set into decorative containers or simply left bare. On large schemes most contractors would expect to provide sample plantings.

Contact an eFIG supplier near you to find out if they can provide artificial plants for you through our Find a Contractor page.