Arborvitae is a coniferous evergreen tree or shrub in the genus Thuja, commonly used for hedges and landscape screens. The word merged from Latin arbor “tree” and vitae (life), historically tied to the phrase ‘tree of life.’ In modern usage, it refers specifically to species such as Thuja occidentalis and Thuja plicata. The term appears in horticultural contexts and botany writing rather than everyday conversation.
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