What we don’t like: Some of the leaf tips got creased in the box, and it took some gentle stretching to straighten them out. The leaves’ texture reminds me of a fabric ribbon, and (depending on the light) they can look like one, too. “They’re crinkly, while real leaves are smooth,” said Christensen, inspecting photographs I sent via email. I also wish the veins were more delicate-looking. The hollow opening, which you can see from the top, makes it clear that the plant is fake—and if you didn’t catch that, the tiny plastic pot would clue you in. Full-fronded palms are also a pain to dust. “The more surface area, the more places the dust can settle,” said Miriam Diamond, a University of Toronto professor of earth sciences who has published numerous papers on dust. Like the fiddle-leaf fig from Nearly Natural, we recommend ordering this one from Amazon to avoid Nearly Natural’s lackluster customer service. At least with Amazon you’re better covered if you need to deal with exchanges or returns.
