The hardy Yucca ‘Vittorio-Emmanuele’ was raised by the German botanist Karl Sprenger from a cross between Y. recurvifolia and Y. aloifolio ‘Purpurea’ at the end of the nineteenth century. The blue-green narrow leaves are held in a rosette and from these emerge panicles of white spherical flowers whose buds bear a red flush. Given its hardiness this species brings valuable architectural interest to a warm or tropical border, while the flowers add late season interest. A member of the Asparagaceae the genus Yucca contains 40 species from North and Central America and the West Indies, where they grow in deserts, sand dunes and plains.