My macrophyllas bloom each year but they aren’t special. We’re a little bit warmer than you which helps a little.

Learn about all the wonderful native plants in your area. List of Native Plants — Ohio Native Plant Month

My list is full of Maine native shrubs that need more sun and moisture than my dry, shady, sandy-soiled yard has.

I would love to be able to grow lemons outdoors.

* Citrus fruit

* Mountain Laurel (Pieris) -- technically I can but they don't do well here, I don't think the soil is acidic enough

* Camellia

There is not much that won't/can't grow here providing soil conditions are appropriate. Although not on my "want" list, Indian hawthorn (Rhaphiolepis), Loropetalum and crape myrtles tend not to do very well here due to our cool summers. They need more heat than we can muster for them to thrive or bloom well.

Wouldn't mind being able to grow my own citrus and avocados, tho :-))

Hydrangeas and tree ferns.

Heaps, but lacking acid soil (or enough rain), there are loads I can't...but, to be fair,there are thousands I can so hey ho...

I would love to grow--

citrus

avocados

mangos

roses

tulips

because my shady garden won't let me although I do have fun growing hostas and dozens of native plants that do well when we get enough rain.

Some palms will grow in OH zone 6b, especially in favorable locations and/or with winter protection. Needle palms (Rhapidophyllum hystrix) might well succeed even without winter covering/supplemental warmth (I'm experimenting with a smallish specimen in KY zone 7a, sheltered from winter winds up close to the house. It's taken 16F without a problem so far this winter, with heavy mulching and covering). Some have done well with Trachycarpus fortunei cultivars. The book "Palms Won't Grow Here (and other myths)" has a lot of good information on palm culture in zones 5-7.

Palmettos (Sabal species and cultivars) are pretty tough. I've gotten several Sabal 'Louisiana' through the past two winters with just mulching, and covering with a pot during the coldest spells, with minimal damage from which they recover well during the following growing season. There are a number of Sabals that will tolerate subzero temps.

One holy grail of mine is success with gardenias outdoors. I've had them overwinter and flower, but the trick is getting them to a substantial size with a long period of bloom.

These lists aren't helping. I had planned to just mention crown imperial, but now I see gardenias, citrus, palms, and I'm thinking delphinium and lupines... and hens and chicks, for some reason I can't grow hens and chicks even though friends have thick mats of the stuff.

Lemons, Oranges, Limes, Figs and Avocados would be great!

And many acid soil loving plants that won't thrive in my alkaline leaning soil.

Bougainvillea is what I lust after. Citrus would be nice, too, along with avocados and bananas!

PNW here.

Gardenias - are often grown as a houseplant. So I use them in pots in the summer and winter them over in the house. Easy.

Mine didn’t survive in my house. Not enough light and SO MANY SPIDERMITES

I guess this would fall into 3 different categories for me. First the plants I would love to grow, but are well outside my zone even with zone-pushing; the ones which work within my zone, but not some other condition, like soil; then the ones for all intents I SHOULD be able to grow under my conditions, but for some reason can't.

Category #1 - plants that are well outside my zone even with zone-pushing: citrus! And I love my tropicals in the Aroid familiy, like Alocasia and Colocasia, which I can grow - but often by the time they finally are going strong and even begin to flower, it's end of the season and thus begins the arduous process of bringing potted plants inside for the winter, storing them, etc. Fortunately, over the years I've gotten a good system for doing this, and no longer waste my time with removing them from pots, storing them in newspaper etc.

Category #2 - plants which work within my zone, but not some other condition, like soil: blueberries! I have given up on the dream of growing fresh blueberries. So jealous going to the east coast and the berries grow wild roadside. For me it is an exercise in frustration to try to mimic those conditions.

Category #3 - plants I SHOULD be able to grow under my conditions, but for some reason can't. Two come to mind. The first is/was hakenechloa Japanaese forest grass. For years I struggled trying to introduce that in my garden. Couldn't figure it out, because supposedly my basic conditions were perfect. After a while I gave up. But years later I tried again...and it worked! Maybe because I had more experience from being a newbie gardener, and I had learned from that experience. But I think the big thing was I was getting these small (at at the time expensive) clumps which barely could establish in my garden. Then I got some huge clumps from a horticulture plant sale for dirt cheap, and the difference was like night and day. The second fail for me is Cardinal Flower. Here's this pretty native flower which everyone raves about how easy grow and establish - not. it's a one season wonder for me. This may be more about conditions, as I understand they really thrive in swamp-like environments. Oh, and ditto for Butterfly Weed, which would only last a few seasons for me before fading away.