There are several coastal Carolinians here around...but I don't know where they are at right now.

Hi! I'm on James Island near Charleston. I transplanted several bananas last spring from a neighbor's yard to mine and one of them fruited! In my neighborhood I've seen Nopal cactus, a tangerine with abundant fruit, a century plant, Spanish bayonet. The Loquat tree does very well has a tropical look to it. Tropical scents enchant me too so I treasure my magnolias, and though invasive (talk about jungle!) I let my wisteria and honeysuckle vines range pretty freely. I have a forest of bamboo, which although invasive is pretty easy to manage, you just kick over or clip unwanted culms as they emerge. Sunset's Gardening with Tropical Plants is a great resource. You can go over to Brookgreen too and see what they have.