Looks like coneflowers from that angle

There is a similarity to bigleaf hydrangea

I thought coneflowers at first, too, but mine are more narrow and more pointy.

And if you are talking about Echinacea their leaves are not paired.

straight down pix are a bit wonky ... give them another week and get us a better pic or two ... and include the dead stalk ... it might help ...

sometimes first leaves out.. arent as big as later ones ....

by which time.. your friend will remember.. lol ...but let us know ...

ken

ps: nice soil ...

I agree with Embothrium..my guess is a macrophylla hydrangea..

I'd be inclined to think towards hydrangea as well. That is a pretty beefy, woody stem for most perennials......

Could it possibly be Heliopsis?

Maybe one of the darker flowering reddish heliopsis? Hard to say...

Thanks, everyone! I asked her if she planted a hydrangea last year. She said she has no idea, but she guesses whatever it was, she had to get it in the ground before it froze, because it's planted in an area she usually reserves for herbs. She has a 2-year-old, so I can't say I wonder about her poor memory =) Hell, I've my mukdenia for about 5 years now, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what it was for the first week after it started coming up.

Ken...we're in the Minnesota River valley, and the soil is pure gardening gold here.

Ha Ha. Looks like mint to me ... is there a smell?