In full sun, lean, dry soil, around 2 feet tall, fuzzy-ish foliage. I asked a few people who have lived in the area for their whole lives but none of them had seen it before. TIA!

Looks like Lady Lupine maybe?

I think that's it! How in the world did you know that one?

Thank you very much! : )

Found some more info:
https://www.wildflower.org/gal...

Warning, this opens some little video window that seems harmless but probably takes a lot of memory:
https://www.tallahassee.com/st...

It reminded me of lupines, and it's one time I decided to see if a phone app could ID it and PlantNet actually worked! I have very little faith in those apps and whenever I do try one, I'm always disappointed that it's not even close. I guess the old saying "Even a broken clock is right twice a day" applies here too!

That is beautiful and what a great find.

Nancy - lol but thankful your app worked.

How fun is that?! I thought you might have spotted it somewhere on a trip sometime. You have a good eye, I was trying to make a mullein out of it. LOL! Thank you again for the effort and info!

Vicki, IKR! When several people told me they had no idea what it was, I started to get excited. The info about it today confirms, it was a great and apparently rare sight. I even told DH that I take back what I said about his "bumpy shortcut." LOL! We could have stayed on paved roads, but a longer route to his brother's house.

That is a extraordinarily beautiful plant to stumble across along the side of the road! 💜

I would go back often and try to get seeds from it! Probably some bird gave the area a nice present on a flyby.

I wouldn't bother trying here because of the info in the articles about the "symbiotic biota" but their house is less than a mile from where I spotted about a dozen of the "lady Lupine" plants. Not sure they have a spot in enough sun though.