Start out as a soft shiny green. As they age, they develop light brown or purple splashes which eventually cover the leaf, leaving only the veins green.
The Capensis large, elegant blue flowers are held well above the water at the tip of a sturdy green stalk. This plant blooms repeatedly from mid-spring to early fall.
The flower has an alcoholic scent which attracts flies ? hence its alternative name of brandy bottle.
tea made from the roots is used in the treatment of dysentery, diarrhoea etc...
This plant is a real gem for winter flowers, and whoever would keep a greenhouse or conservatory gay through all the dead season would do well to grow a few plants of this particular species, rare in cultivation.