also: おぼとれがしら
noun
Literary or somewhat formal term for messy, uncombed hair. Not an everyday word; more likely to appear in written descriptions or classical contexts.
彼は蓬頭のまま会議に現れた。
He showed up at the meeting with unkempt hair.
蓬頭の老人が道端に座っていた。
An old man with disheveled hair was sitting by the roadside.
Composed of 蓬 (yomogi, mugwort) and 頭 (head), suggesting hair as tangled or wild as mugwort. The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the kanji evoke an image of unruly vegetation.