Crowsfoot club moss isn't moss, in fact it looks more like a spreading cedar but it's not that either. So what is it?

Travel enough in the woods of eastern North America and you will gradually come to recognize a unique evergreen groundcover that is not too uncommon, yet not quite ordinary. It makes its home on the floors of upland pine and mixed forests, preferring dry dappled sun to deep moist shade. From a car window Diphasiastrum digitatum (syn. Lycopodium digitatum), known as crowsfoot, groundcedar, fan club moss, is easy to overlook, but when approaching on foot it makes a lasting impression. Crowsfoot club moss is the most common club moss in North America. It is native from Quebec to Georgia and from the Atlantic coastal states and provinces to the Mississippi basin. It is hardy in zones 4 to 7. Past depletion of the native population of crowsfoot club moss due to deforestation and overharvest has rebounded. In fact, crowsfoot club moss performs quite well in regrowth situations in disturbed areas such as road cuts and established regrown forest lands, performing amazingly well on steep banks. At first sight it looks like an evergreen tree may have fallen and become buried to its branch tips in forest litter. Upon inspection, you will see that this is a plant all its own. The foliage, comprised of deep green, tightly compressed, pointed scales, is reminiscent of arborvitae or cypress yet the plant attains only four or five inches in height. The ìdowned treeî is actually a colony. Pull on a leaf and it comes up easily with the lateral stem which lies above the soil and beneath the duff with layered roots growing shallowly at short intervals. In late summer, the tiny "cones" are held on stems six or eight inches above the foliage, eventually letting their spores be spread by the wind to expand the colony or start a new one. It is often confused with other plant families, but Diphasiastrum digitatum is a club moss. Club mosses are not mosses. Club mosses are considered "fern allies" in that they grow in similar sites as ferns, and like ferns they reproduce from spores, not seeds. There are numerous native club mosses in North America, and several that overlap with the range of crowsfoot club moss. Some are quite similar in appearance with subtle differences in habit or form; others are more easily distinguishable by immediate appearance. Identifying club mosses can be a bit confusing. The common North American species of terrestrial club mosses are spread among four genera: Lycopodium (tree club mosses), Diphasiastrum (club mosses), Huperzia (fir mosses), and Lycopodiella (bog club mosses). Until recently, they were all grouped under the genus Lycopodium, so there's your first point of confusion. Lycopodium references may be all encompassing or related to only a handful of species. Crowsfoot club moss is differentiated from similar species by its fan-shaped foliage held horizontally, its strobili (stems bearing ìconesî) occur in one or two pairs, and its stems lie on the ground (under leaf litter) rather than below the soil. Crowsfoot club moss is rare in cultivated landscapes and gardens. It is widely recognized as an extremely difficult plant from a horticultural perspective. It is not easy to obtain: garden centers do not sell it. It is a challenge to establish either from transplants or spores. In fact, it may take twenty years to grow a mature plant from spores! It is also slow to heal from damage once established. However, once established, crowsfoot club moss forms colonies that are beautiful by themselves or combined with other woodland wildflowers and greenery. The best way to obtain specimens in order to establish a new colony is to dig deeply, transplanting a large chunk of soil along with the plant, taking care not to disturb any part of the roots. The transplant should be moved to its permanent home immediately. Possible sources for transplants include someone you know who has an established colony, construction sites, or check with your local native plant society for a lead. Diphasiastrum has a long useful history. Perhaps it is best known for its use as Christmas greenery, for which it is still locally popular. The spores, however, have proven to be of use in a much wider range of practical applications. These particles are extremely fine and contain high levels of fat, making them both highly water resistant and, when dispersed in the air, flammable. "Lycopodium powder," as the dried spores are called, is used as flash powder in theatrical pyrotechnics and college science class demonstrations. It has been used in fireworks as well. Its water resistance is evident by simply applying a small amount to the surface of a glass of water: stick your finger in through the powder film and it will come back out dry, with only a little dry powder adhering to it. This hydrophobic property is useful in wide ranging applications from coatings on pills to keeping metal from sticking to wooden molds in foundries. Under the name Lycopodium, diphasiastrum is widely known in homeopathy. It is used to treat such physical complaints as digestive disorders including heartburn, constipation and irritable bowel syndrome, sore throat, chest infections, enlarged prostate, skin irritations, and chronic fatigue. Anxiety and low self-esteem are also reported to be decreased by the use of lycopodium. Next time you are on a stroll through the woods, keep your eyes to the ground and discover this woodland gem.