The lifesaver plant is a small succulent with a flower worth waiting for: five-pointed, zebra-striped yellow stars, each with a glossy, raised maroon ring in the center that looks exactly like the candy. The plant itself forms low clusters of fleshy, toothed green stems and stays tidy in a small pot.

Grow it in bright light with some direct sun, in a gritty cactus mix, and water only after the soil dries completely; the thick stems store what it needs. Keep it warm year round and on the dry side in winter. Blooms appear near the base of stems in warm months.