Is this a Hemlock sapling?

[Onatah]

My husband and I spend a lot of time in our woods walking around. I keep seeing these little saplings as well as some that are similar to them but have softer, more feathery, needles on them. I'm wondering if this one is a hemlock sapling? We have two large hemlocks on the property but not super close to where we've found the saplings, of which there are many. I'm guessing the other saplings are perhaps cedars, of which we have several grown cedar trees on the property. My husband argues that it's just a 'weed'.

In any case, I dug it up. I also dug up a couple different types of moss I found to be quite attractive and that have been growing around the saplings. I brought them in to plant in a terra cotta pot in my house. I hope to add one or two of the other saplings (cedar?) later today. I can share a photo of them once I find them again and dig some up if anyone would like to see.

 

[Becky]

I've moved this into the Plant Identification forum section for you

 

[Onatah]

Thank you, Becky. My apologies for placing it in the wrong section.

I was told by a friend that this is actually not a sapling, but a type of moss! Even more interesting.
This is the little pot I placed it in, along with some other mosses I found that I like.

 

[Marck]

Actually, the plant in the photo is not a non-vascular, 'true' moss (Division Bryophyta)), but rather a vascular, non-seed plant known as a Clubmoss (Division Lycophyta), somewhat similar but fully distinct from Ferns (Division Pteridophyta).

Specifically, the plant pictured is Tree Ground-pine Clubmoss (Lycopodium dendroideum, alternatively Dendrolycopodium dendroideum), which is native to moist, temperate regions of North America.

I do not recommend harvesting from the wild. The plants will not transplant easily into captivity, and past over-harvesting for Christmas decorations have left these plants somewhat rare. They are also legally protected against harvest in may places.