COLD HARDY “tropical looking” flowers or plants that add a pop of color and a paradise look?

[mnorell]

For half-hardy tropical perennials that will bloom in a season if knocked down in a freeze, try the following heliconias (and forget H. schiedeana!):

- Heliconia latispatha in variety (this is an extremely variable species with a wide distribution, so many named and unnamed forms, large and small)...pretty much all will bloom in one season (summer-fall), some are root-hardier than others, but most should be okay at your latitude down to about a brief 20F.

- Heliconia sp. 'Mexican Gold' - the hardiest single-season heliconia I trialed when I lived far north of you in Natchez, Mississippi...it came back and bloomed after about 72 sub-freezing hours to 18F in 2010, also after the much colder (but more brief) 13F jab in February 2018. It is a great one, as it produces a "full-sized" inflorescence around October and is quite showy. A rather large plant, however.

- Heliconia latispatha x H. psittacorum 'Carmasita' - a very fast producer, in full sun in the Deep South it goes from shoot-to-bloom as fast as 2-1/2 months. Root hardiness is not as good as the above but it might survive at your latitude due to the (usual) brevity of deep freezes there.

- Heliconia x rauliniana. A big plant in a rather tight, vertical clump, with very showy bird-like twisty inflorescences. Once established this has been known to flower in a season after being cut down in a frost in Central Florida. And it has some root-hardiness (probably not as much as H. latispatha, though).

- Costus (spiral gingers)...many species and cultivars, some take two seasons but many are single-season and really very beautiful. Much more choice than the Hedychium gingers (though I have nothing against that well-known genus).

- Alpinia zerumbet (shell ginger). In a protected spot these will stay good to about 26-27F and will give you a beautiful springtime bloom emerging from the top of the elegant foliage. Needs space as it gets large. If it does freeze down you will have to wait about 14 months from re-emergence for the bloom in spring of the following (hopefully frost-free) year. There is a beautiful yellow-variegated form as well that is quite popular and should be readily available. Both bloom well in New Orleans, even many years in Baton Rouge, so would be a good choice for your location.

Also as mentioned by others, Odontonema stricta, many others throughout the Acanthaceae. A standout in this family, Megaskepasma erythrochlamys, is a winter bloomer, even in deep shade, very showy and with huge tropical leaves. But you will want a usually frostless spot for it, preferably under good evergreen canopy or a broad eave, so that the flower-crop doesn't get ruined by one 9b night. But it can come back from reasonable cold.

There are many others, including several single-season ornamental bananas (M. velutina, M. ornata, et al.)...lots of choices!

[Chester B]

@Dwarf Fan the one thing I would warn you about the cannas is they are highly susceptible to Canna Leaf Roller.  I planted a bunch after moving here as they help to fill in a new garden while the backbone develops,  All of mine had really bad Canna Leaf Roller and treatment only helped so much.  i had never experienced this but I guess its common in the south.  At this point I'm tempted to throw mine out as they look like garbage for most of the year.  It doesn't seem to affect bananas though, which is good.