[Overview]
A perennial.
It has a thick, short, hard rhizome and sends out stolons to form offsets.
The leaves are simple and form a rosette; they are thick, hard and fibrous or succulent, and flat or cylindrical.
Some have horizontal stripes.
A raceme or spike at the tip of the flower stalk bears small, cylindrical, 6-petaled flowers.
The base of the corolla is swollen, and the flowers are white, pale green, cream or similar colors.
There are 6 stamens.
The fruit is a berry.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by division or leaf cuttings when temperatures are 15°C or higher, though spring to summer is most suitable.
For overwintering, bring it indoors to a sunny place and keep it at 5°C or higher.
It prefers sunny, well-drained clay soil.
It dislikes excess moisture.
Poor light makes the leaves weak, but variegated cultivars get leaf scorch in strong direct summer sun, so shade them in midsummer.
Take care not to overwater: from spring to autumn water after the soil has dried, and keep it on the dry side in winter.
Apply liquid fertilizer once every 2 weeks from spring to autumn.
Pests and diseases include scale insects, aphids and spider mites.
