Lovely. I just took photos of a"yellow bird" Magnolia. Coincidence?

I am interested in you bird of paradise.

I have to agree that H. annuus is the likely ID. I've been poking around this post for a few days, and find nothing else that is a decent candidate. The H. annuus plants found in gardens always have those very large heads, large leaves, and are relatively compact in form. But wild plants are often leggy, have smaller flowers (especially in dryer climates), and have fewer & smaller leaves in the inflorescence. Check online photos, and you'll see several examples that look much like the two photos above.

I'm considering BM Nob Hill Sage for my dining room. What you see on this wall is a true sample of the color (from samplize. The room next to it is painted in Sea Salt, and you can see that Nob Hill Sage is definitely greener, with a warmer tone.