There is a ton of gingers that do well in S MS, of course they(most) wont make it through the winter. I do have some that were frost bitten but are still green for the most part. Add some bananas, bunch of those do well here also.
To me, both are very tropical.
Where do you live? I'm in Vancleave

OH I forgot, Palms do well here. Palmettoes are native.

Cannas, gingers, bananas, and elephant ears die down in winter. LA iris, camellias and encore azaleas bloom in the Fall and Winter. Oriental magnolias such as Saucer, Star amd the Little Girl series defoliate in Winter, also bloom in late winter. Some species roses are evergreen and bloom in late Winter or early Spring like Cherokee, Lady Banks and Fortuniana. All of these plants can give a tropical look. Palms of course are great, but pick them carefully because occasionally a severe freeze burns non-native palms.

Pampas Grass is one of my favoirtes as is Fountain Grass. MIne look good all year round but when they bloom with their pretty plumes, they are spectaular. I also like different types of cane. I have Cattails in my back yard where it is always a little wet and Bamboo is great if you get the kind that will not spread much. Mine doesn't but I forget the name of it.

I'd have said same of many of these plants, also Hawaiian Ti (Good Luck) plants, Varigated (Shell?) Gingers and Hibiscus, especially when planted on the sheltered east or south side, in the ground and mulched, they'll recover after a freeze damage, better than in the containers Good luck.

GB