Withania somnifera

Withania somnifera, known commonly as ashwagandha, is an evergreen shrub in the Solanaceae family that is native to the Middle East and North Africa, other African regions, southern Europe, and Indian subcontinent. Several other species in the genus Withania are morphologically similar. Common names include Indian ginseng and winter cherry. W. somnifera is a short shrub 35–75 cm tall with tomentose branches, dull green elliptic leaves up to 10–12 cm long, small green bell-shaped flowers, and orange-red ripe fruit. The Latin species name somnifera means “sleep-inducing,” while the name ashwagandha combines the Sanskrit words for “horse” and “smell,” referring to the root’s strong horse-like odor. It is cultivated mainly in dry regions of India and nearby countries like Nepal, Sri Lanka, China, and Yemen, preferring dry, stony soil with sun to partial shade, and is propagated from seeds in early spring or greenwood cuttings later. It is affected by various pests and diseases in India, ......read more on Wikipedia.