Collection: Stems / Ferns

What will your stems and ferns fill?

Artificial stems and ferns are the building blocks of arrangements, so start with what you're filling. An empty vase wants a few foliage stems to bring it to life without a full plant. A flower arrangement needs greenery stems to add fullness and a natural look between blooms. A shelf or mantel gains a soft touch from a trailing fern plant. And a bare corner takes a bunch of tall stems in a floor vase. Work out if you're filling a vase, bulking an arrangement or softening a shelf, and individual stems and ferns let you build it yourself.

How do you arrange with stems and ferns?

Stems give you control to build a natural look. Mix different foliage types — a spiky stem, a soft fern, a broad leaf — for texture and realism, since real greenery is never uniform. Vary the heights, with taller stems at the back and shorter at the front or trailing over the edge. Use an odd number, which looks more natural than an even, balanced set. A vase with filler or floral foam holds them in place at the angles you want. Building your own arrangement from stems looks more considered than a pre-made bunch.

Stems or ferns — which do you need?

Each plays a different role. Foliage stems are individual sprigs — eucalyptus, olive, leafy branches — that you combine to build an arrangement or fill a vase, giving height and structure. Ferns are soft, feathery, often trailing, adding a delicate texture and softening the edges of a shelf, basket or arrangement. Use stems for the backbone and height of an arrangement, and ferns for softness and trailing fill. Most natural-looking arrangements mix both — structural stems with soft fern fill — so buy a variety to build with.

What we'd tell a friend before they buy stems and ferns

Here's the styling advice. Buy a variety of foliage types, since mixing textures — spiky, soft, broad — is what makes an arrangement look real rather than a uniform bunch. Vary the heights and use odd numbers. A real vase with filler holds them at natural angles. Real-touch stems beat shiny plastic ones for realism up close. And bend and shape wired stems on arrival to sit naturally. Buy a mix of stems and ferns to build with, and arrange them with varied texture and height.

FAQs – get the answers you need

What are artificial stems used for?
Individual foliage stems build arrangements or fill a vase, adding height and structure. You combine different stems to create a natural, custom look rather than a pre-made bunch.

How do I arrange faux stems and ferns?
Mix textures — spiky, soft, broad — vary the heights, and use odd numbers. A vase with filler holds them at natural angles. Mixing types looks far more real than a uniform bunch.

What's the difference between stems and ferns?
Stems are individual foliage sprigs for height and structure. Ferns are soft, feathery and often trailing, adding delicate texture and softening edges. Most arrangements mix both.

Do artificial ferns look real?
Good-quality real-touch ferns do, especially trailing over a shelf or basket edge. Their soft, feathery texture reads as real when they're not crowded or uniform.

Can I shape artificial stems?
Most have wired stems you can bend and angle to sit naturally in a vase or arrangement. Shaping them on arrival stops them looking flat-packed and stiff.

Pair it with

Stems and ferns pair with blooms and pots. Add flowering plants for colour in arrangements, hanging baskets for trailing displays, and small plants for pots.

Paying over time is easy — a $15 set of artificial stems is four fortnightly payments of $3.75 with Afterpay, and Zip, Klarna and PayPal Pay in 4 work the same way. Everything ships from our Australian warehouse within 1–2 business days, carries a 12-month warranty, and comes with 30 days to change your mind. We're family-run and Australian, at this since 2016, rated 4.66 out of 5 across 5,363 reviews.