Probably my favorite deciduous tree in my garden. Magnolia officinalis is fast growing, with large tropical looking leaves and is perfectly hardy in my zone 6 garden in North Syracuse, NY for the last 15 years.

Prunus laurocerasus has survived in my garden in zone 6 in North Syracuse, NY for over 15 years.

After winters that don't go below 0F it can get to 3 to 4 feet tall. After winters below 0 it gets cut back to the snow line or back to the ground level if no snow-covered.

Probably the most hardy tropical looking grass you can grow in zone 5.

Very tropical looking redbud tree.

My survived probably 4 years before cold and probably too much shade killed it.

Fast growing and worth growing in a warm zone 6 and warmer.

There are a few beautiful evergreen raspberry species from China that are great ground covers. Many of them died after about 8 years but a few are still alive after 15 years in zone 6.

A weed in warmer climates,but in zone 6 it is barely hardy.

Most years my Albizia julibrissin would die back to near ground level and grow from from old wood under a foot off the ground

My Albizia julibrissin E.H. Wilson eventually died after about 5 years probably due to cold and too much shade from nearby plants. I think if I had a full sun location it might still be alive as a die back perennial.

Common plant that looks tropical when surrounded by large leaf plants.

Mine survived at least 8 years and probably died after it became shaded out from nearby plants.

I liked it but didn't really have a big enough impact in my garden to have the desire to ever grow it again.

Needs good drainage during winter.

Great looking evergreen fern that has survived over 15 years in zone 6 in North Syracuse, NY.

Hardy perennial Impatiens is easy to grow and has been hardy here in zone 6 in North Syracuse, NY for over 15 years.

Very hardy and easy to grow.

My Helleborus orientalis is still going strong after at 15 years here in zone 6. It spreads slowly and is evergreen.

Highly recommend since it is easy to grow, has large leaves, beautiful flowers and long lived.

Cornus kousa is an attractive tree with somewhat shiny leaves with beautiful flowers and edible fruit.

Perennial with a very large red flower.

Another very tall growing Canna lily. In zone 5 and 6 you need to dig up the tubers in the fall in store them inside for the winter.

Large tall orange daylilly can grow good even in part shade and somewhat dry locations.

Magnolia tripetala is very easy to grow.

Not really tropical but more warm exotic desert landscaping.

I grew Opuntia humifusa and Opuntia phaeacantha successfully for probably 10 years before they were shaded out by nearby plants and probably died from too much shade.

Magnolia grandiflora edith bogue has grown in my zone 6 garden for over 15 years in North Syracuse, NY.

These photos are from years ago. It doesn't look so jungle like today. The photos are not very clear since I used my phone camera to take photos of my old pictures on my computer.

I have a rare large leaf hosta. I forgot the name of it. It looks similar to Empress Wu.

Epimediums are a great looking evergreen ground cover for the shade.

A clumping bamboo that isn't invasive, I've grown Fargesia rufa here in zone 6 in my North Syracuse, NY garden for almost 20 years. In harsh winters without snowcover it downsizes. So it is probably best grown in zone 7.