Perennial of the Montiaceae family, this species is endemic to the Californian Sierra Nevada, where it grows in granite scree, rocky ledges, and the edges of snowfields at high altitude, between 2,500 and 3,500 meters. It endures long, snowy winters, with a very short growing season.
It forms a low, spreading rosette of linear, fleshy, glaucous green leaves, lying flat against the rock, with the whole plant barely exceeding 4 to 5 cm in height. The flowers, borne on short, virtually unbranched stems, barely rise above the foliage.
In its natural habitat, it blooms from July to August, as soon as the snow melts. The flowers are remarkable for their narrow, elongated petals, pale pink veined with deeper pink, opening star-like from sepals tinged with dark burgundy red, a very characteristic detail of the species.
In cultivation, it requires absolute drainage, a poor granite substrate, and prefers a cool exposure. Protection from winter moisture is essential. It is ideally grown in a pot or alpine trough, and remains a plant for specialists.