A silk palm can look very life-like in any indoor surrounding. Silk palms are artificial palms called silk to differentiate them from plastic plants. Chinese silk was used as the main raw material for silk palms, but synthetic textile materials like polyester are now gaining in popularity.

The tree trunks of silk palm trees are usually made of wood including grapevine, birch or maple. These are heavier than artificial trunks and are only used by certain manufacturers and customers who really want their artificial palm to look as natural as possible. For others who want lightweight, portable palms, trunks are made of hollow fiberglass, plastic or steel and the polyester fronds are glued over the trunk. They form amazingly realistic palm trees when natural substances like preserved stems and heads of live palms are used as raw materials.

They fit well on tabletops and room corners where real palms could go, without the trouble of watering and weeding. They come in different varieties ranging from silk tabletop plants to life size plants as high as eight to fifteen inches. Usually, silk palms are potted in containers using chemicals. Containers act as bases to support the plant, and the long, life-size silk palms are balanced by a heavy base. Silk palms range in size from 21 inches to as tall as 120 inches.

Silk palms are available in different forms. Depending on the preferences and needs, customers can buy potted plants, plants that have detachable parts and partly assembled plants. The quality of a silk palm is rated according to the overall construction, the realistic appearance of the tree, the size, amount, quality, and color and naturalness of its different parts and the size of the nursery container. To avoid fading of the fabric dye, silk palms are best kept indoors and in low or medium light areas.