Anybody would agree that orchids are one of the most beautiful blooms around. Even the most unobservant person will notice them and they are sure to lend an air of elegance to any space, whether potted or displayed in a vase. Florists report that they are the second most popular flowers and they are much sought after to provide ornamentation at weddings and christenings as well as other special occasions. Recently there has been an increased demand for artificial orchids but can these really capture the grace and beauty of their living relations or are they just poor pretenders for the real thing?

Phalaenopsis and Cymbidium orchids top the list of the most imitated, perhaps because they are the most coveted in their fresh states. Other copies in high demand are those of the Vanda and Dendrobium families. These are greatly used in gorgeous hand-wrapped bouquets as well as being mounted in decorative ornamental vases and are available in a multitude of natural yet vibrant shades so will match any colour-scheme.

Admittedly, live orchids can be a little difficult to maintain in their full-bloomed splendour. Cut stems tend to wilt and die before you have even had a chance to enjoy them half as much as you might like. Potted ones will only blossom once or twice a year at the most, and even then just for a limited period. This, of course, is not an issue with artificial orchids; they will always look as fresh as the day you bought them and give you as much visual pleasure as you could ever want.

Imitation plants are great for hay fever sufferers and for places such as show homes and offices where it would be too costly to regularly replace cut flowers or cultivate potted ones.

The quality of artificial orchids that are available today is absolutely astonishing. Gone are the days when buying imitation flowers meant having to put up with depressing-looking cloth falsettos with cheap green plastic in place of stems and leaves. Nowadays, amazing attention is paid to the tiniest details resulting in life-like copies that an observer would be hard-pushed to distinguish from the real thing.

Materials used to produce artificial orchids vary considerably depending on the price range. Silk is still used, as is nylon and other synthetic substances. A transparent polymer-suspension is even used to simulate water in vases and can also be drizzled on the petals to give an illusion of dew drops. Emphasis is placed on texture as well as appearance and some imitations actually feel like they are real.

There is absolutely no doubt that the visual appeal of  matches up to, or sometimes even exceeds that of living ones but they cannot rival the satisfaction an orchid owner will get from watching their own plants thrive. However, they do the job for decoration purposes and are perfect when lack of time or the absence of a suitable environment prevents real orchids from being kept. If you have a bit of a reputation for being a plant-killer, why not buy an artificial orchid; you will be guaranteed to fool all your friends.

Carl Harrison is an orchid enthusiast. For more great tips and 
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