Aechmea lueddemanniana

I usually post bromeliad profiles at the time they're in bloom, but Aechmea lueddemanniana is a species that I think is showier long after the flowers have faded.

The flower spikes appear in the spring, covered with a fine scurf.  The flowers are small and lavender in color.

As the flowers fade, the "berries" start to swell.  While they develop over the summer, they change color.  Green first, then white,

and finally purple!  This is when they're the most eye-catching.

The Aechmea lueddemanniana plants grow best where they'll get morning sun, or shifting shade throughout the day.  Each plant will get about 18 inches tall and 2 foot wide, and they seem to be fairly cold-hardy, surviving brief freezes with little damage.  The purple "berries" will remain in color for a couple of months before finally shriveling and falling from the plant.