Looks somewhat like a Lysimachia.

Gutierrezia microcephala has at least one ray flower and no more than two disk flowers per head and no more than 6 phyllaries. Your plant has five or six disc flowers and no ray flowers. The phyllaries on your plant are arranged in vertical ranks and your plant would have been classified in Chrysothamnus until recently. Maybe it is now in Lorandersonia? Here is a link that might be useful: Key to Lorandersonia species

Thanks so much, everyone! I'll pass this information along to my friend :-)

Looks like Forsythia to me. If it's young it wouldn't necessarily flower the first couple of springs. Lenticels on the top picture are just right imo. Looking at the leaf axils I think you'll get flowers next spring unless the winter cold is too much for it.