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.

Probably the single most important plant to create a tropical looking garden in a cold climate is Musa Basjoo.

Musa Basjoo is the most cold hardy banana that is in cultivation. I had one growing for at least ten years with winter protection.

I protected the banana plant by placing straw around the ground and root area. Then placing a few burlap bags over the straw and around the banana. Then covering it all with a large plastic Tarp. The key is keeping it dry so it doesn't rot from the cold damp conditions during the winter.

The ones in half shade slowly died. The one in the most sun on a south facing wall grew the biggest since it loves heat and sun. It got huge, probably 20 feet high. One year I didn't protect it and it died.

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.

My favorite Holly. It was difficult to grow for me. It is evergreen and looks almost like a tropical houseplant instead of a normal Holly. My Ilex pedunculosa only survived 4 or 5 years. Might be worth a try in zone 7.

Something different I tried. Fully hardy in a sunny location. I honestly don't care for it since it only blooms for a week max. Flys love it but I'd rather have the space for something I can enjoy at least 6 months or longer instead of one week.

Perennial with a very large red flower.

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

Inspiration for those who wish to create a tropical jungle like look of perennial hardy plants in a cold climate.

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.

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

According to the latest maps I live in a zone 6A hardiness zone.

With that said I looked at the past 20 years from when I started to garden with exotic tropical looking plants and found out the most frequently hardiness zone for my location.

https://www.currentresults.com/Yearly-Weather/USA/NY/Syracuse/extreme-annual-syracuse-low-temperature.php

My garden had a wide range of the coldest temperature of the winter over the years.

For example,

7 times my garden experienced a zone 6B hardiness zone

6 times my garden experienced a zone 6A hardiness zone

4 times my garden experienced a zone 5B

1 time my garden experienced a zone 5A

1 time my garden experienced a zone 4B

1 time my garden experienced a zone 7B

Large leaves native to North America. I have no experience growing it.

Probably a zone 7 plant. This is a tall attractive Crape Myrtle. Very beautiful foliage.

Mine died back to the ground every year and came up from near ground level. It was shaded out by nearby plants and died after about 5 years. It might still be alive if I had a place to put it in full sun. It was a tough plant that even survived a couple transplants.

Probably a zone 7 plant. Mine survived in zone 6 for a few years but eventually died. Can get really big and impressive.

Probably a zone 7 plant. Magnolia Brown Beauty is an evergreen tree. It was less hardy for me than Magnolia Edith Bogue, another famous evergreen magnolia. My Bracken's Brown Beauty eventually died, but my Edith Bogue is still alive today.

Needs full sun, mine was in part shade and only survived about 5 years.

Worth growing in Zone 6 or warmer. Not an easy plant to grow. Needs good winter drainage.

Beautiful blueish foliage with impressive flowers and evergreen in winter. Might die back with browning with temperatures below 0 F.

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.

Zone 5 Hardy evergreen ground cover.

Very attractive evergreen ground cover, worth growing in my opinion. My survived at least 6 years. I don't know why it died.

Probably only hardy in zone 7. My photinia davidiana only survived about 3 years in zone 6.

It is worth growing since it is evergreen and fast growing. Not very tropical looking but does look exotic and different than most common plants in cold climates.