S. atropurpureum contains various toxic tropane alkaloids in its fruit, stems, and leaves, and should not be ingested.

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

[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.

Seeds can be harvested from the fruits, and stem cuttings can be used to grow the plant in about 10 to 20 days.