A South African succulent shrub with small, round green leaves on fleshy reddish stems. It gives a soft, lush look on very little water, has no spines and does especially well in pots.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub, groundcover and succulent schedule in our Landscape Care guide. Plants in pots need more regular summer water than plants in the ground, and cooler months need little or none. Soil that stays wet leads to root rot.
Pruning
Light pruning shapes it and controls spread. The stems are brittle, so make clean cuts. Cuttings root easily if you want more plants.
Cold
It is freeze-sensitive. Cover plants or move pots under a patio on frost nights, especially in colder, low-lying parts of the Valley.
Pests
Watch for scale and mealybugs. Rabbits and javelina may browse it during long hot, dry spells.
How our designers use it
Pots and planters
It fills containers, raised planters and wall planters with a soft, layered look, especially near entries and seating where it is seen up close.
A lush look on less water
Next to aloes and agaves it softens a succulent bed and gives poolside plantings a green, almost tropical feel.
Low, spreading forms
Trailing varieties spill over planter edges and work as a small-scale groundcover.
Good to know
Around the pool
No spines and little litter make it a comfortable choice right beside pool decks and seating.
