It is grown for its large, bright flowers and its attractiveness to pollinators such as bees and small birds.

[7] The species is native only to the Guizhou and Sichuan provinces of China, but it has been naturalized in Japan, Taiwan, and India, as well as in Australia and South Africa.

[8][2] The species is found at elevations of 1200–3600 meters[9] in dry and open habitats, especially in thickets, on scrubby slopes, and on cliffs.

The leaves are thick and paper-like and are rather glaucous, with short laminar glands, streaks, and dots.

The flowers are flat-topped, and sometimes have a short terminal internode and branches that come from the middle of the stem.