What does arborvitae mean?
Arborvitae is an evergreen coniferous tree or shrub belonging to the genus Thuja, prized in gardens and landscapes for its dense, flat sprays of scale-like foliage and its tidy, columnar growth habit. Native to northeastern North America and parts of East Asia, it is among the most widely planted hedging and privacy-screen plants in temperate climates, with cultivars such as 'Emerald Green' especially popular. The name comes from Latin, meaning 'tree of life', a tribute bestowed by French explorers after the tree's vitamin-rich foliage was used to treat scurvy during Jacques Cartier's 1535 expedition to Canada. Beyond ornament, arborvitae wood — light, rot-resistant, and easily worked — has long been valued for fencing, shingles, and canoe building. In everyday speech the term appears mostly in gardening, landscaping, and forestry contexts, and it is closely associated with hardy, low-maintenance evergreen plantings.
nounA coniferous tree or shrub of the genus Thuja, native to North America and East Asia, with flattened sprays of scale-like evergreen foliage; also called arbor vitae. The name literally means 'tree of life'.
- Any tree or shrub of the genus Thuja, valued as an ornamental evergreen for hedges and screens.
- (Less common) The wood of such trees, used historically for canoe frames, fencing, and shingles.
"The gardener planted a row of arborvitae along the property line to create a dense privacy hedge."
"Emerald green arborvitae is one of the most popular choices for screening fences in suburban gardens."
"The giant arborvitae of the Pacific Northwest can live for over a thousand years."
The standard plural in horticultural and gardening contexts is 'arborvitaes'. When referring to the plant material collectively rather than individual trees, 'arborvitae' may be treated as uncountable.
"Several arborvitaes were damaged by heavy snowfall last winter."
French explorers gave this tree its name after its vitamin C–rich foliage helped cure Jacques Cartier's scurvy-stricken crew in 1535 — literally saving their lives.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arborvitae
Arborvitae derives from Latin arbor ('tree') + vitae ('of life'), meaning 'tree of life'. The name entered English in the early modern period via New Latin botanical usage, popularized by French explorers in North America who observed that the foliage of Thuja occidentalis, rich in vitamin C, cured scurvy among Jacques Cartier's crew in the mid-16th century. It shares its root with other Latinate words built on arbor, such as arboreal, arboretum, and arborist.
How arborvitae is actually used
In American usage 'arborvitae' most often refers to Thuja occidentalis (the eastern or northern white cedar), while in Britain the same species is usually just called 'white cedar' and the word is less common. Plural is typically 'arborvitaes' in horticultural contexts, though 'arborvitae' is sometimes treated as uncountable when referring to the plant material collectively.
Easily confused with arborvitae
Cypress trees (Cupressus and related genera) have similar scale-like foliage but belong to a different genus; arborvitae specifically refers to the genus Thuja.
Junipers bear berry-like cones and often needle-like juvenile foliage, whereas arborvitae has flat sprays of scale leaves and small upright cones.