I met this plant that appeared voluntarily in my backyard in Brevard, NC in 2006. In the fall it drops its leaves, dies back, disappears but comes back every Spring. No blooms. Never wilts
Hi Bette,
this appears to be a young Paulownia tomentosa tree. They can easily grow 6 feet or more in a single season. It is not a native, but comes to us from Japan. Many consider it weedy, but it has beautiful flowers!
Sincerely,
Steve Hill, Ph.D., Botanist, SCNPS