Yep, I googled it: 'Mullein' is another name...and sometimes called 'Poor man's toilet paper'...
A biennial - 1st yr grows the rossette of leaves, 2nd yr grows the flower.
I wonder if I'll be able to remember all that next time I bump into one??
Better than nettles! A Canadian relative of mine was marching across country with his unit in WW2, popped out of line for a convenience stop...cold day; gloves on...
They don't have nettles in Canada...