Corn earworm,Helicoverpa(=Heliothis)zea(Boddie), and tobacco budworm,H. virescens(F.), arc polyphagous, multivoltine insect pests that feed on numerous cultivated and wild bost plants. In eastern Tennessee during 1990 and 1991, larvae ofH. zeawere collected from 34 species of wild host plants in 11 families, and huvae ofH. virescenswere collected from 20 species in 9 families. One or the other or both species were found on a total of 39 species of wild hosts in 11 families. Early-season (june through July) wild host plants of both insect species included common mallow.Malva neglectaWallroth, black medic,Medicago lupulinaL., and crown vetch,Coronilla variaL. Hophornbeam copperleaf,Acalypha ostryaefoliaRidell, hairy galinsoga,Galinsoga cilliata(Rafinesque Blake, and crown vetch may be new host-plant records forH. zeaandH. virescens. Dovefoot gerauium,Geraniium molleL., may represent a new host-plant record forH. zea. The diversity of the wild hostplant complex ofH. zeaandH. virescensin eastern Tennessee reflects the variety of suitable flora in this region. This host-plant diversity coupled with the patchy distribution of cropland within the regional agroecosystems may combine to prevent populations ofH. zeaandH. virescensfrom reaching the outbreak levels expelienced in other regions of the United States.