[Overview]
An evergreen perennial.
The leaves are opposite, without petioles, and fused at the base.
The leaves are thick and fleshy.
The leaf margins have marginal hairs.
Cymes or dense panicles from the upper nodes of the stem bear many star-shaped flowers, and the corolla is fused for more than half its length from the base.
The flowers are often red.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by stem-tip cuttings.
It prefers a sunny, well-drained, well-ventilated environment.
It needs at least 5°C to overwinter, so bring it indoors to a sunny spot.
It dislikes heat and humidity, so in summer place it in a breezy spot in partial shade and keep it on the dry side, watering only once or twice a month, to get it through the summer.
Place pots on a shelf or similar so air can reach the bottom, and move them out of the rain during long rainy spells.
From autumn to spring, water thoroughly only after the soil in the pot has dried all the way through.
Fertilizer is not particularly necessary.
There are no particular pests or diseases.
