I can't remember the name of it, but it's an Italian/Mediterranean plant. It gets HUGE leaves in the spring and summer and then it starts putting up those dry flower stalks and all the leaves die back and it has just the flowers left. Around here you can't ever get rid of them. We used to have a yard full of them and we are still constantly digging them up and cutting them back. They have pokey things on the leaves that if they get your skin will leave a little welt. Despite all that, I think they are beautiful. DH hates them though, so it's a plant I let him have an opinion on and we get rid of it.