A pair of sparrows has been nesting in our arborvitae tree. It's the perfect spot for them, too, since the tree's densely packed branches provides them with plenty of shelter and protection from predators.

It's not the first time that birds have moved into our arborvitae tree during the last two decades, either, because during spring and summer, the tree is a favorite nesting site for small birds.

Arborvitaes are cold-hardy evergreens with fan-shaped branches and tiny, scale-like needles attached to small twigs. They belong to the pine family of plants and are native to China, Korea, Japan and North America.

Arborvitae varieties are available in multiple shapes and sizes. Several of the taller varieties, for instance, can get to be 70 feet tall, whereas some of the shorter types make excellent privacy screens and hedges.

By the way, "arborvitae" means "tree of life" in Latin. So it's not surprising that our arborvitae teems with life all year long.

Arborvitae wood is long-lived, too. In fact, arborvitae trees that toppled more than 400 years ago —and that were already 400 years old when they perished —still provide the exotic-lumber industry with rot-free wood.

Berkman's arborvitae

Growing in full sun and in soil that drains freely, our arborvitae is the variety called Berkman. It gets no taller than 12 feet, and has needles that are forest-green in summer and turn yellow-bronze during winter.

It was transplanted, incidentally, on New Year's Day after we finished using it indoors as a 2-foot-tall Christmas tree. Which reminds me, the tree survived the transplanting process because I kept its roots moist before and after I transplanted it. I also pre-dug the planting hole on a day the soil wasn't frozen.

I had a good feeling the tree would live, though. After all, it's not known as the "tree of life" for nothing.

This week in the garden

To have poinsettias still looking pretty this spring, keep them at room temperature away from drafts, and don't permit their soil to dry out.

After their bracts, or petals, fall off, they can be grown as green-leaved house plants. But since it's difficult to get them to rebloom —without providing them with perfectly-timed light conditions —purchase new plants during next year's holiday season.