I live in northern California, about 30 mins for Sacramento so zone 9b. I'm looking for new ideas for tropical plants for the upcoming summer. I already have Taro, Hibiscus, Elephant Ear, several different banana trees and a few different palms. Any ideas of plants that will take full sun and not die in our winter months? Thank you. Picture below is what I have now.

Try a few Cordyline they add nice colour and a tropical look you might be able to grow them in your climate bromeliads hang them around your garden there are some tough sun lovers platycerium stag ferns elk ferns hang them off your fence they take sun given enough moisture lots of things will grow in full sun increase your humidity it’s a game changer but most of all enjoy your tin the garden 

24 minutes ago, Chavy87 said:

I live in northern California, about 30 mins for Sacramento so zone 9b. I'm looking for new ideas for tropical plants for the upcoming summer. I already have Taro, Hibiscus, Elephant Ear, several different banana trees and a few different palms. Any ideas of plants that will take full sun and not die in our winter months? Thank you. Picture below is what I have now.

If in 9b, you could look into trialing any Plumeria cultivar labeled as " cold / very cold tolerant "  /  " Hardy "  or  " ...Is an easy " ( grower )... 

Have a covered Patio ?  Many Orchids, specifically any labeled as as " Temperature Tolerant " could work,  ..a few Hoyas too.

Several groups of Bromeliads ( That don't get big ..Like Puyas ) contain species / cultivars that will tolerate short duration exposure to upper 20s

..Numerous trees, if you have room,  ..Some larger, others smaller .." Trumpet " Trees ( Tabebuia / Handroanthus )  ..Several Senna sps ..some are more shrub-like, other sps taller / more tree- like  which tolerate temps into the mid 20s.  Brugmansia / Iochroma, Brunsfelsia ( Yesterday - Today - Tomorrow .. Several white-flowered sps that are pretty hardy, and incredibly fragrant )


Numerous vines, ...< Beyond " big box " stuff like Bougainvillea / Cross / Trumpet vine >  ..Queen's Wreath ( Petrea volubilis... May drop some ..but not all leaves in winter ),   Coral Vine ( Antigonon letopus,  Pink,  or White Flowered ( Tamer than the Pink form ) .  Winter Deciduous ) Easter Lily Vine ( Beaumontia,  Evergreen ..or mostly evergreen ),  Moonflower,  Flame Vine ( Pyrostegia venusta, Usually evergreen ) Purple Jade Vine ( Mucana cyclocarpa ), if you can find it..  ...Numerous Passiflora sps,  ..just for starts..

Endless list of Perennials / smaller shrubs / " tropical "  bulbs ( Crinum,  Hymenocallis,  Hippeastrum, Ismene,  Lycoris,  Nerine,  Ox Blood Lilies,  Sprecklia, Tuber Rose, Rain Lilies ) .


That's just the " simplified " list, lol...

 

Living in Sac for 17 years.  Here's what I've grown outside, with occasional protection in cold snaps:

Platycerium bifurcatum

Numerous neoregelia

Schefflera 

Leucospermum, Protea, Banksia

Various begonias

Chamaedorea ernesti-augustii, metallica

Clivia 

South African bulbs

Various cycads

Laelia anceps and its hybrids

Oncidium flexuosum

Dendrobium kingianum 

Stanhopea (requires careful siting)

These should keep you busy for a while, and empty your pocketbook!