Hi disney

I would think it means down to zone 9, or zone 9 and above.

Good luck with your garden, you'll soon become obsessed!!

Alan

I'm in Zone 5 too! Yeah, it won't be hardy in zone 5. Think of it as "down to" zone 9, meaning nothing below that. That may mean you can grow it as an annual (just for one summer) or take it back in as a houseplant or overwinter it in some other way.

There's a plant called hardy hibiscus or rose mallow that we can grow in Zone 5. I grow Lord Baltimore, which has big red flowers. The plants look different from tropical hibiscus, but the flowers are similar. They take their time getting going in spring and bloom in late fall. Each bloom only lasts a day, but there are always more the next day. I attached a picture of my hibiscus from last year.

I also grow canna, elephant ear, dahlia. All of these have to be lifted in the fall. You cut down the plant, dig up the tuber and store them in a cool place. Then in the spring you just start them again.

I also grow Musa Basjoo, which is a banana which can survive in our zone over winter. It takes some work and practice though, you have to give it some heavy protection. Zone 5 seems to be pushing the outer limit, but it can be done.

There are a lot of plants you can grow as annuals that look tropical, like castor bean (it's poisonous though, so I don't grow it because I have dogs), Coleus (Sedona, Giant Exhibition Tartan), New Guinea impatiens, Dragon Wing or Wax Begonia, ornamental rhubarb.

Grasses can give you a tropical look too. I grow Miscanthus Giganteus (HUGE!) and Hakone grass. I've been thinking about adding Japanese Bloodgrass too.

You can do a lot with lilies too. They come in great colors, reds, oranges, etc..

Hostas are easy in zone 5 and some of them have huge leaves that look tropical. They normally like shade, but some do fine in the sun. I have Sun and Substance.

Have fun! Gardening's addictive and you learn a little more every year!

Here is a link that might be useful: Hardy hibiscus, Lord Baltimore

Some other ideas for you, fairly hardy plants, though I can't vouch for the hardiness in your zone:

Fatsia japonica
Aspidistra elatior
Magnolia macrophylla
Aucuba japonica
Catalpa and Paulownia
Acanthus mollis

Many others . . .