A perennial belonging to the Montiaceae family (formerly Portulacaceae), native to Chile, where it grows on dry rocky slopes, sandy hillsides and open ground in full sun, at low to mid altitudes.
The plant forms broad, loose, spreading clumps reaching 30 to 60 cm in height, with semi-erect, branching stems. The leaves are fleshy, elongated, and glaucous to grey-green in colour, characteristic of the species' adaptation to dry, sun-exposed environments. This succulent foliage and the wide basal rosette give the plant a notable architectural presence even when not in flower.
The flowers are large, with five widely open petals of a bright, deep magenta to purplish-pink, with numerous stamens clearly visible at the centre. They open on long upright stems rising above the foliage in continuous succession — each individual flower lasting only a single day, but promptly followed by the next.
In its natural habitat, the flowering period extends from November to February (the austral summer). In cultivation under temperate climates, it blooms from June to September.
It requires a position in full sun, a very free-draining soil that is poor to moderately fertile, and is sensitive to excess winter moisture. Often grown as an annual in cold-winter climates, it can persist as a perennial in milder zones with light winter protection.