The olive tree has become the default faux tree of the last five years, and there is a good reason: it is the most forgiving shape in the category. The foliage is fine and silvery rather than glossy, the canopy is open enough that you see through it, and the trunk is usually a real wood one. All three of those things make it harder to catch.
What follows are seven placements we have seen work, with the planter and lighting notes that make each one read properly.
1. The living room corner, with something warm beside it
Olive in a corner next to a floor lamp with a linen shade is the single most reliable arrangement in the book. The lamp gives the silvery leaves something to catch, and the pair fills a corner without crowding it. Keep the lamp base shorter than the tree's lowest branches so the two silhouettes do not collide.
Planter: an unglazed clay or aged concrete cylinder, 14 to 16 inches across. Olive looks wrong in anything glossy.
2. The entryway, in a woven basket
Olive branches move, so a tree in a hallway catches the draught every time the door opens — a small motion that reads as life. A seagrass basket softens the base and hides the nursery pot in one move. If the hallway is narrow, use a 5 ft tree rather than 6; olive canopies spread wider than their height suggests.
3. A matching pair in the dining room
Two olive trees flanking a sideboard or a window is a classic symmetrical arrangement, and olive carries it better than most because the canopy is irregular. Two identical trees placed symmetrically look intentional; two bushy trees placed symmetrically look like topiary. Space them so the canopies do not touch — 6 to 12 inches of air between them.
4. Bedroom, at the far side of the bed
Fine foliage is quiet, which is what you want in a bedroom. Place a 5 ft olive opposite the head of the bed rather than beside it — beside the bed, any plant reads as clutter when you are half asleep. A matte ceramic pot in off-white or sand keeps it calm.
5. Behind a desk for video calls
Olive is the best faux tree for a background because the open canopy lets light through instead of forming a green wall. Place it 3 to 4 ft behind your chair, offset to one side, and frame it so the top of the tree sits just below the top of your camera view. Avoid placing it directly behind your head, where the branches will grow out of your shoulders on camera.
6. Beside a linen sofa, with real wood
Olive and pale linen are the same idea: dry, matte, sun-bleached. Put the tree where it touches the corner of a linen sofa and a light oak side table, and the whole arrangement starts reading as a Mediterranean room without any other changes. Add one object with a rough edge — a stone bowl, a stack of books with raw board covers — and it is done.
7. Seasonal swap: olive plus dried stems
Because olive holds up all year, it is the easiest tree to dress seasonally. In autumn and winter, add a bundle of pampas grass in a floor vase beside it. In spring, cherry blossom branches. You are changing one element rather than redecorating, which is how rooms stay interesting without becoming fussy.
Planter and soil notes
- Height: olive trunks look best when you can see the first 12 to 18 inches of wood above the pot rim. Do not bury the trunk line.
- Top dressing: cover the surface with bark chips or gravel. Bare faux-soil discs are the most common giveaway.
- Weight: olive canopies are wide. If the planter is lightweight, add a bag of sand or a brick inside the base — especially in a hallway.
- Light: keep it out of hard direct sun. Silk olive leaves will fade from grey-green toward yellow over a couple of summers.
How to keep it looking new
Olive foliage collects dust visibly because the leaves are narrow and matte. Once every month or two, run a microfibre cloth lightly down each branch, or use a hairdryer on cool from 12 inches away. Twice a year, reshape: outward and slightly down for the lower branches, upward for the new growth at the crown.
Frequently asked questions
Is a faux olive tree a good choice for a first artificial plant?
Yes. It is the most forgiving option: irregular foliage, a forgiving colour, and a shape that does not require perfect symmetry. Our 6 ft olive is the size that suits most living rooms.
Can an olive tree go in a bathroom?
It can, but real olives hate humidity and dark bathrooms, so a fake one there can read as a logic error to anyone who knows plants. Faux fern or pothos is a better fit for a windowless bathroom.
Should the tree touch the ceiling?
No. Leave at least 12 inches of air above the crown, more in a small room. A tree that touches the ceiling makes the room feel lower.
How many olive trees in one room?
One, or a matched pair in a dining room. Three reads as a shop display.
See the full range of 5 to 6 ft artificial trees if you want to compare canopy widths before deciding.