These perennials can be grown decoratively as house plants, but in some areas of South Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand it is regarded as a weed.

It may cause gastric problems, including vomiting and gastroenteritis as referenced in the obsolete scientific name S. ipecacuanha (roughly "ipecac nightshade").

Indeed, these taxa are now generally held to refer to the same species, and the "false Jerusalem cherry", if it is at all distinguishable, seems to be a chemotype at best, or just a motley collection of cultivars.

But these are generally also not considered to be taxonomically distinct today:[6] A Jerusalem cherry plant is given as a Christmas gift in Lucy Maud Montgomery's 1935 novel Mistress Pat.

[8] Alicia Silverstone, an actress best known for starring in the movie Clueless, posted a TikTok of herself eating an unknown, cherry-tomato-like fruit off the street in England in August 2024; fans identified this as a Jerusalem cherry, prompting concerns for her health and spawning many memes.