This image is courtesy of Michael from Washington, DC, a frequent (and appreciated) commenter on BPotD images. He submitted this photograph via the BPotD Submissions on the UBC Botanical Garden Forums. Readers of the thread where Michael submitted his photo will note that this is a tentative identification.

The genus Aeonium is distributed throughout the Canary Islands, Madeira, Morocco and eastern Africa. This photograph of “'Atropurpureum' shrubby aenium” was taken in San Jose, California, where it is obviously growing very successfully in a climate similar to its native one. Each of the succulent stems will flower and fruit only once and then die back; in a single word, the plant is monocarpic.

Botany / Photography resource link: Photo Gallery for The Ruth Bancroft Garden of Walnut Creek, California. Oodles of images of succulents, particularly from Africa.