Short answer: a 5–7 FT faux olive tree suits most living rooms and home offices. Choose a natural trunk model if realism is the priority and a UV-resistant model if the tree will spend any time outdoors. Prices at VeriNatural run from $79.99 to $1,799.99 depending on height, trunk and planter.
Why olive trees are the most popular faux tree
The olive tree has become the default choice in modern interiors for a good reason: its silvery-green leaves, thin branching and slightly sparse canopy look intentional rather than artificial. Where a dense fake ficus can read as plastic, an olive tree's irregular structure hides repetition — which is exactly what gives faux foliage away.
It also fits the way people actually decorate. Olive trees work in minimalist, Mediterranean, Scandinavian and Japandi schemes, and they suit both residential and commercial spaces. And because a real olive tree needs very high light and a cool winter rest period, an artificial one is usually the only way to get the look indoors.
How to choose a faux olive tree
1. Height: start from the ceiling, then work down
Leave at least six inches between the top of the tree and the ceiling so it does not look boxed in. A 7 FT tree is the practical maximum for a standard 9 FT ceiling, and 5–6 FT is the comfortable range for apartments and rooms with lower ceilings. Remember that planter height counts: a 6 FT tree in an 18-inch planter stands at 7.5 FT.
2. Trunk type changes everything about realism
This is the spec worth paying attention to, because the trunk is what your eye reads first at close range.
- Real trunk — actual dried olive wood, so every tree is genuinely unique. The most convincing option and the one to buy if the tree will be seen up close in a hallway or beside a sofa.
- Natural trunk — moulded from real trees, with bark texture and irregularity. Very close to real wood at a lower cost, and the sweet spot for most rooms.
- Wood-look trunk — a smooth finish designed to suggest a slim, elegant stem. Clean and modern, and a good match for minimalist interiors where a gnarled trunk would feel heavy.
3. Decide whether the tree will ever go outside
If the answer is yes, or even maybe, buy a UV-resistant olive tree. VeriNatural's UV-resistant olives are designed for indoor and outdoor use in both black and white planters, and they will not fade the way an indoor-only tree will after a summer on a sunny patio.
4. Pick the planter to match the room
Olive trees look their best in simple, matte planters — tapered or straight-sided, in black, white or natural tones. Buying a tree that already includes its planter usually looks more considered than dropping a nursery pot into a basket, and it also solves the stability problem, since olives are top-heavy at height.
5. Check leaf colour under your own lighting
Olive foliage is not simply green. Real leaves have a silver-grey underside and a slightly dusty surface. Good faux olives reproduce that two-tone effect; cheap ones use a single flat green. If you can, look at the tree in the light it will live in, since warm indoor bulbs make silver tones disappear.
Best faux olive trees at VeriNatural
| Olive tree | Height | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5/6/7FT Black Olive Tree, Natural Trunk | 5–7 FT | $79.99 | Best value — UV resistant, indoor & outdoor |
| 6FT Olive Tree, Wood-Look Trunk | 6 FT | $85.99 | Minimalist rooms, modern offices |
| 5/6/7FT Olive Tree with Natural Trunk | 5–7 FT | $99.99 | Living rooms, best-selling all-rounder |
| 5/6/7FT Olive Tree with White Planter | 5–7 FT | $99.99 | Light interiors, complete look out of the box |
| 5/6/7/8FT Olive Tree, UV Resistant | 5–8 FT | $99.99 | Patios, porches, sunny rooms |
| 5/6FT Natural Trunk Olive Tree, Taper Planter | 5–6 FT | $119.99 | UV resistant, black or white taper planter |
| 6/7/8FT Olive Tree, Natural Wood Trunk | 6–8 FT | $259.99 | High ceilings, statement corners |
| 8FT Olive Tree with Real Trunks + White Pot | 8 FT | $599.99 | Maximum realism, large rooms |
| Eterna Olive Tree 8FT, Thick Trunk | 8 FT | $1,799.99 | Luxury and commercial spaces |
Our three top picks
Best overall: 5/6/7FT Olive Tree with Natural Trunk ($99.99). It offers the natural-textured trunk that does most of the work for realism, across three heights, at a price that makes sense for a room you might rearrange. It is the tree we recommend to most people.
Best for outdoor use: 5/6/7/8FT UV Resistant Olive Tree ($99.99). Four heights, explicitly UV resistant, and priced the same as the indoor version — so there is no reason to risk an indoor tree on a patio.
Best for maximum realism: 8FT Olive Tree with Real Trunks ($599.99). Made with actual dried olive wood, so no two trees are identical. It costs what it costs because the trunk cannot be mass-moulded — and in a large, close-viewing space that difference is visible.
Which size for which room?
| Room | Height | Typical price |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom, small office | 5 FT | $79.99 – $99.99 |
| Living room, beside a sofa | 6 FT | $85.99 – $119.99 |
| Entryway, hallway | 6–7 FT, narrow canopy | $99.99 – $199.99 |
| High-ceiling living room | 7–8 FT | $199.99 – $599.99 |
| Lobby, restaurant, office reception | 8 FT, premium trunk | $599.99 – $1,799.99 |
Getting the look right once it arrives
Olive trees arrive compressed and look sparse and flat until you shape them. Open the branches outward, raise the canopy slightly so the trunk is visible, and leave a few gaps — an olive tree that is too full stops looking like an olive tree. Dressing the top of the planter with preserved moss or stones completes the effect and hides the filler.
Two of our existing guides go deeper: how to make a faux olive tree look real and artificial olive trees vs real ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size faux olive tree should I buy?
Choose 5–6 FT for apartments, bedrooms and small offices, 6–7 FT for living rooms and entryways, and 8 FT for high ceilings or commercial spaces. Leave about six inches between the treetop and the ceiling, and remember the planter adds to the overall height.
What is the difference between a real trunk and a natural trunk?
A real trunk is actual dried olive wood, so every tree is unique and no two are identical. A natural trunk is moulded from real trees, reproducing the bark texture and irregularity at a lower cost. Both look far better up close than a smooth wood-look finish.
Do faux olive trees need sunlight?
No. Faux olive trees need no natural light at all, which is why they work in hallways, basements and windowless offices where a real olive tree could never survive. Just keep indoor-only models out of prolonged direct sun.
Can I put a faux olive tree outside?
Only if it is UV resistant. VeriNatural's UV-resistant olive trees are built for indoor and outdoor use in black or white planters. An indoor-only olive left on a sunny patio will fade within a single season.
Shop faux olive trees
Browse every size and planter in the artificial olive tree collection, compare the darker foliage in our black olive tree range, or shop UV-resistant outdoor trees if your olive is heading outside.
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