Several plants with hairy or thread-like characteristics are called “Aaron’s beard”:
- Cymbalaria muralis: Also known as ivy-leaved toadflax or Kenilworth ivy, this plant has cascading stems with small, yellow flowers.
- Hypericum calycinum: Also known as great St. John’s-wort or Jerusalem star, this shrub has yellow flowers and hairy stems.
- Opuntia leucotricha: Also known as arborescent prickly pear, this cactus has white hairs on its joints.
- Saxifraga stolonifera: Also known as creeping saxifrage or strawberry geranium, this plant has hairy stems and small, white flowers.
- Spiraea salicifolia: Also known as bridewort or willow-leaved meadowsweet, this shrub has hairy stems and white flowers.
The origin of the term is likely rooted in the visual imagery of these plants, with their cascading flowers resembling a beard. It’s more of a botanical and descriptive term than having a specific symbolic or cultural meaning. In modern usage, you might encounter this term in literature or gardening contexts to describe certain flowering plants with a distinctive appearance.