I've had a few for a number of years now and they return year after year if given the conditions they require. I have one in a raised cactus bed that has grown like crazy and 5 in the front and another in a mound at the side of my yard. They need to be plump and healthy looking for the best success, shrivelled dry roots won't grow in my experiences with them. They need at least 6 hours of sun and fast draining soil especially in the winter is a must. Don't plant them too deep either, the top of the central disc needs to be at or just below the surface of the soil. Give their roots some space to radiate out from the center. The foliage does die back after blooming and I remove the seed pods and cut the stem back a bit so they don't waste energy or stick out like a sore thumb as they die back. The first picture is from a couple years ago of the plant in the cactus bed and the next picture is of the cactus bed when I first built and planted it. Good luck!
