This has a unique appearance in its genus, growing quickly to give a large, loose rosette, with relatively large, fleshy leaves. From between the leaves the flower stems emerge, dozens of them in an established plant, each stem with several large, colourful flowers. It is best kept quite dry from mid summer through to late autumn, as it is a plant from the dry side of the Cascade mountains in northwest America, but we have grown them well outside for many years.