It blooms yellow to white flowers in the late spring to mid summer, and produces small (1–2 cm wide) orange fruit.

The fruit's juices can be irritating to the touch, so it is recommended that gloves be used when removing or handling.

These are known as 'prickles' and are not present on its edible eggplant cousin, due to differences in the LOG gene.

[2][3] The plant can be grown ornamentally, requiring full sun and modest water.

The plant is known to grow in a wide variety of soils and can resist temperatures as low as −10 °C (14 °F) for a few days.