I absolutely love this plant.  Because I have pets who tend to nibble on my plants, I need to be careful about the toxicity levels in all live plants.  A banana palm is a definite "no" when it comes to pets, so I ordered this wondering how "real" it would look.  It's fabulous.  I placed it in a larger alabaster pot, molded the branches and leaves and it looks as real as the live Banana Palm.  I am delightfully happy with my purchase.