old man's beard

from The Century Dictionary.

• noun See Clematis.
• noun Same as long-moss.
• noun Same as fringe-tree.
• noun A species of Equisetum; also, sometimes, one of species of other genera.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

• noun vigorous deciduous climber of Europe to Afghanistan and Lebanon having panicles of fragrant green-white flowers in summer and autumn
• noun common climber of eastern North America that sprawls over other plants and bears numerous panicles of small creamy white flowers
• noun dense festoons of greenish-grey hairlike flexuous strands anchored to tree trunks and branches by sparse wiry roots; southeastern United States and West Indies to South America