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Posted: Apr/13/2009 9:53 AM PST
OK guys, can you help me find whatever this is? It grows wild in Southern Indiana. Shade plant, in the woods. I see it usually in old disturbed areas like old strip mines - but not always. It often grows among coniferous trees - but not always. It is evergreen. Its leaves look like little scaly needles, like a juniper, but it is NOT a shrub, and it doesn't have woody stems. It is a creeper, making little roots along the runners. It covers large areas (groundcover), and the runners are so strong and extensive that I have never been able to locate a "parent plant." It does not have a piney fragrance. I've tried to transplant some to my yard a few times and I couldn't get it to take in the past, although since my fern garden has pine needles and acid soil, and other woodland plants I've put there are thriving, I'm trying one more time. I have looked for YEARS for the name of this thing, and I can't find it anywhere. Attachments:   |
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Posted: Apr/13/2009 11:19 AM PST
It is a type of Lycopodium - a fern ally. It grows on runners and is therefore difficult to transplant. You have to get a piece of the base where the real roots are. Common name is "ground cedar". Here a good picture of one species: http://www.missouriplants.com/Ferns/Lycopodium_dig itatum_page.html |
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Posted: Apr/13/2009 12:02 PM PST
Wow, love that. It is very pretty - never seen it before. |
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Posted: Apr/13/2009 7:13 PM PST
It looks like what we call Princess Pine. I was told it was dying out because people were overharvesting it for wreaths. |
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Posted: Apr/13/2009 8:32 PM PST
Thank you Ga Girl!! It is L.digitatum! And to think how many times I've searched with the words, pine, creeper, scales, evergreen etc and it never came up. I certainly never would have thought to look at ferns or mosses! I also saw a lot about club mosses being used for holiday wreaths and decorating, and that it is overharvested in some areas. I don't know anyone around here that uses it that way, and it's very common - so that's good, it's very beautiful spread out over the forest floor. Wish me luck on getting my little sprig to grow! |
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Posted: Apr/15/2009 5:19 AM PST
Princess Pine (which is the common name for your plant were I live) might be on the endangered list as a protected plant. |
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