[Overview]
An evergreen perennial to subshrub.
A succulent with many wild species and cultivars, varying widely in habit and in leaf shape and color.
The leaves are opposite and thick.
Cymes or dense panicles arise from the nodes in the upper part of the stem and bear many star-shaped flowers.
Flower colors include white, pale pink, yellow and pale green.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by division, stem cuttings or leaf cuttings.
Plants are divided into summer types, which grow from spring to autumn, and winter types, which grow from autumn to spring.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated environment.
It can overwinter outdoors if protected from frost and cold wind.
Place pots on a shelf or similar so air can reach the bottom, and move them out of the rain during long rainy spells.
Water thoroughly only after the soil in the pot has dried all the way through.
It dislikes heat and humidity, so winter types are kept through the summer in an airy place in partial shade, watered only 1–2 times a month and kept on the dry side.
In spring, apply a small amount of slow-release fertilizer.
Pests and diseases include rust, black spot, soft rot and scale insects.
