A type of evergreen tree or shrub with flat, feathery foliage that belongs to the cypress family, commonly used in landscaping.
From Latin 'arbor vitae' meaning 'tree of life,' combining 'arbor' (tree) and 'vitae' (of life). The name was given by Renaissance botanists who believed the tree had medicinal properties.
The name 'tree of life' comes from its historical use in treating vitamin C deficiency and scurvy—indigenous peoples actually did use it medicinally, making the poetic Latin name scientifically accurate!
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