Ask the Expert: Yellow Wildflower - grows in Kentucky This flower (I'm sorry the pick is somewhat past bloom) grows all along the farm - my friend believes it to be wild cosmos... and I didn't think there was a cosmos genus around here - could you help us out? Thank you! Anne Plant Expert Reply: I believe it is a type of Helianthus. Kentucky has many wild species of Helianthus. My best guess would be one of the following: Helianthus hirsutus (Hairy Sunflower), Helianthus strumosus (Pale-leaved Woodland Sunflower) or Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke). Of course it is a little hard to tell without an open bloom. Share this:Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new [...]