I got a Phyllobolus digitatus or Finger and Thumb in October, which is Spring in the Southern hemisphere. Finger and Thumb is a succulent mesemb, and found in an area which receives rainfall in winter so it grows in winter and is dormant during the hot summer months.
This was how it looked when I got it, it was a little yellow from too much sun and starting to show the first signs of dormancy.
To my surprise, it flowered a month later. It was also a little greener because I put it in a less sunny spot.
3 weeks after flowers, it started shutting down.
If you aren't expecting this, panic could set in that you have killed the plant and the big mistake would be to water it at this time because when it's resting over summer, water would kill it.
Two months ago, as the weather cooled, it started to emerge and it was time to water it again
How it looks now:
I am watering it regularly now, about once a week and I look forward to a new crop of flowers in a few months
Mesembs are fairly difficult plants to keep alive because it's easy to kill them with the wrong watering schedule so it's an accomplishment to get through a complete growing cycle. Thereafter, it's easier to know where the plant is at and how best to care for it