Succulent perennial of the Aizoaceae family, native to the Karoo and semi-arid regions of the Cape in South Africa, where it grows on rocky slopes and well-drained soils at low and medium altitudes. The species is named after the British botanist Thomas Cooper, an active collector in South Africa in the 19th century, who introduced many specimens of the southern flora to Europe.
It forms a creeping and dense carpet, 10 to 15 cm high, spreading quite rapidly over the substrate. The leaves are fleshy, cylindrical, medium green to gray-green, adorned with fine translucent papillae characteristic of the Aizoaceae.
The flowers are large for the genus, 4 to 5 cm in diameter, bright magenta to pink-purple, with numerous fine petaloid ribbons radiating around a creamy white center. Their chromatic intensity is remarkable, and in sunny weather they present a slight satin sheen. In its natural habitat, its flowering extends from September to December. In cultivation in the northern hemisphere, it blooms from June to September, with a rare generosity among hardy succulent plants.
Less hardy than the high-altitude species of the genus, it tolerates frosts down to -8°C in perfectly drained soil, but in heavy or wet soil in winter, its hardiness is significantly lower. In regions with harsh and rainy winters, pot or trough cultivation remains the safest solution. It requires full sun and willingly settles between stones, on a dry embankment or along a paved path, provided the drainage is impeccable.