Running Cedar

Running Cedar (Diphasiastrum digitatum) 

Add a touch of timeless elegance and evergreen allure to your garden with the exquisite Running Cedar Plant (Diphasiastrum digitatum). Known for its lush carpet-like growth and delicate foliage, this beautiful plant will captivate your senses and create a serene and vibrant atmosphere in any outdoor space.

The Running Cedar is a low-growing evergreen plant that forms a dense mat of greenery

Its delicate, feathery foliage and trailing stems resemble a miniature forest floor, creating a sense of tranquility and natural beauty wherever it is planted. The leaves are lance-shaped and arranged in a whorled pattern, giving the plant a unique and distinctive appearance.

Let's explore the ten essential benefits of the Running Cedar Plant

1. Evergreen Beauty: The Running Cedar retains its vibrant green color year-round, ensuring a green carpet of beauty even during the colder months. Its evergreen nature adds visual interest and provides a lush backdrop for other plants in your garden, creating a harmonious and balanced landscape.

2. Groundcover Excellence: The Running Cedar excels as a groundcover plant, spreading gracefully to cover large landscape areas. It effectively fills bare patches, suppresses weed growth, and prevents slope erosion. Its dense growth habit also acts as a natural mulch, conserving soil moisture and regulating temperature.

3. Shade Tolerance: This plant thrives in shady or partially shaded areas, making it an excellent choice for gardens with limited sunlight. It can transform challenging spots under trees or along north-facing walls into vibrant and attractive spaces. The Running Cedar brings life to areas where other plants struggle, solving shaded garden dilemmas.

4. Low Maintenance: Running Cedar is a low-maintenance plant that requires minimal care once established. It is relatively resistant to pests and diseases and is generally drought-tolerant. Occasional watering during prolonged dry spells and light pruning to control its spread is typically the only maintenance tasks needed to keep it looking its best.

5. Wildlife Habitat: The dense growth of the Running Cedar provides a sheltered haven for various forms of wildlife. Small creatures such as insects, birds, and even some tiny mammals find refuge within its foliage, creating a miniature ecosystem within your garden. By planting the Running Cedar, you invite nature's wonders to your doorstep.

6. Winter Interest: While other plants may lose their foliage during winter, the Running Cedar maintains its greenery, offering year-round interest and color. Its ability to withstand colder temperatures ensures that your garden remains vibrant and inviting even in the depths of winter.

7. Versatile Applications: Running Cedar is incredibly versatile in its uses. It can be utilized in rock gardens, woodland areas, or as a border plant. Its trailing nature also makes it suitable for cascading over walls or spilling out containers, adding charm and beauty to any setting.

8. Naturalistic Appeal: The Running Cedar evokes a sense of the wild and natural with its delicate foliage and trailing habit. It brings a touch of woodland enchantment to your garden, creating a serene and harmonious atmosphere that encourages relaxation and connection with nature.

9. Natural Weed Control: The dense growth of the Running Cedar helps smother weeds, reducing the need for constant weeding in your garden beds. Once established, it forms a thick mat that prevents weed seeds from germinating, saving you time and effort in maintaining a weed-free garden.

Tips for maintaining this unique plant:

1. Light Requirements: Running Cedars thrive in partially shaded to shaded areas. Ensure they receive adequate shade throughout the day, especially during the hot afternoon. If planted in full sun, carefully monitor the soil moisture levels, as direct sunlight can dry out the soil more quickly.

2. Soil Conditions: Running Cedars prefer moist, well-draining soil. Avoid heavy clay soils that retain too much water.

3. Watering: Proper watering is crucial for the health of your Running Cedar. Regularly check the moisture level by inserting your finger into the ground. If the top inch feels dry, it's time to water. Water deeply, allowing the water to penetrate the root zone.

4. Mulching: Apply a layer of organic mulch, such as shredded bark or leaf litter, around the base of the plant. Mulch helps retain soil moisture, regulate temperature, and suppress weed growth.

5. Pruning: Running Cedars require minimal pruning. However, if the plant becomes leggy or infringes on other plants, you can trim back the excess growth. Prune selectively, cutting back to a healthy node or branching point. Avoid severe pruning, as Running Cedars grow slowly and may take time to recover.

6. Fertilization: Running Cedars do not typically require additional fertilization if grown in nutrient-rich soil. However, if the soil lacks nutrients, you can apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer during the growing season. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for dosage and frequency.

7. Controlling Spreading: Running Cedars have a spreading growth habit that can become invasive. Regularly monitor their growth and trim back runners or trailing stems extending beyond the desired area. Remember that it's easier to control the spread of Running Cedars by proactive pruning rather than trying to remove established plants.

8. Pests and Diseases: Running Cedars generally resist pests and diseases. However, they may occasionally encounter scale insects or fungal infections. If detected, treat the problem promptly using appropriate organic pest control methods or suitable fungicides.

9. Winter Protection: Running Cedars are hardy plants but may benefit from some protection, particularly in regions with harsh winters. Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the plants to insulate the roots and protect them from freezing temperatures. Consider covering the plants with a frost cloth during severe cold spells.

10. Enjoy and Observe: Take time to appreciate your Running Cedar's unique beauty and charm. Observe its growth patterns, admire its delicate foliage, and enjoy the tranquility it brings to your garden. Regularly spending time with your plants lets you notice any changes or issues early on, ensuring their continued health and vitality.

Diphasiastrum digitatum, better known as fan clubmoss, is a type of moss that grows in the shadiest of habitats. The entire team at TN Nursery is proud to be one of only an elite group of horticulturists cultivating fan clubmoss. 

Fan Clubmoss  - Running Cedar Grows Naturally in the Forest

Fan clubmoss takes its name from its unique, other-worldly appearance. This moss is an ancient, perennial plant with leaves that resemble tiny clubs. The leaves have an interesting mossy texture and a scale-like appearance. They are lance-shaped, with a sharp-looking point at the tip.

Someone might encounter this low-growing mossy plant in coniferous and oak forests. Fan clubmoss dots the floors of densely wooded areas, giving the appearance of dainty little cedar trees in the most unexpected places. 

Conversely, it also grows contentedly along shady spots in coastal areas. Generally, this plant lives in temperate regions of North America. You should have excellent results if you keep this moss in a full-shade place.

Fan clubmoss (Diphasiastrum digitatum) Is Available Online At TN Nursery 

A sometimes-overlooked application of Diphasiastrum digitatum is its usefulness as a houseplant. They add natural charm to any room that has low sun exposure. A lack of a sunny windowsill makes houseplant success somewhat challenging, and this moss could be an excellent remedy.