Ashwagandha
Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal
Botanical family: Solanaceae
A subshrub of the warm dry regions of India and Africa, whose root is one of the great adaptogens of Ayurvedic tradition; its epithet, somnifera, evokes sleep.
Full sun
Dry, sandy, well-drained
Moderate
Frost-tender (annual in our climates, or in a pot)
Frost-tender in your zone
Role in permaculture
An Indian subshrub grown for its reputedly adaptogenic root, a pillar of Ayurveda. Cold-sensitive: to be grown as an annual or in a pot in our climates.
Companions
No companion planting is documented for this plant: no recommended neighbour, no neighbour to avoid.
Seasons & availability
Root lifted in autumn; grown as an annual or in a pot.
Available: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December.
Guidance for the oceanic / temperate climate; it may vary with your region, altitude, exposure and growing method.
Sources
- Plants For A Future, « Withania somnifera » (pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Withania+somnifera)
- North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, « Withania somnifera » (plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/withania-somnifera)
Nutritional & medicinal properties
For educational purposes. Not a substitute for medical advice. Effects depend on the form, the dose and personal context.
Precautions & contraindications
Not advised during pregnancy; a nightshade, caution in case of autoimmune disease, hyperthyroidism, or treatment (sedatives, thyroid). As a precaution for the liver: rare cases of liver damage have been reported with ashwagandha supplements, stop and consult in case of signs (jaundice, dark urine, abdominal pain). To be supervised by a health professional.
Family behaviour: Solanaceae
In general, Solanaceae are very hungry for nitrogen and prone to blight (Phytophthora infestans). They like heat, sun and a rich soil.
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Voices of peoples
Paraphrases attributed to their documented sources. Never an invented quote.
Classical Ayurvedic medicine, in the Sanskrit language · Indian subcontinent; the Sanskrit-language Ayurvedic corpus
The Sanskrit name aśvagandhā literally means 'horse's smell' (aśva, horse; gandhā, smell): the attested etymology refers to the horse-like smell of the fresh root. A later popular gloss, attractive but which is not the origin of the word, holds that the name evokes the vigour of a stallion conferred by the plant. In the Ayurvedic materia medica, it is ranked among the rasayana, the traditional tonics of longevity.
Wiktionary, entrée « ashwagandha » (« Borrowed from Sanskrit अश्वगन्धा, aśvagandhā, literally 'horse's smell' ») ; Wikipédia, article « Withania somnifera » (aśva = cheval, gandha = odeur), consulté en 2026.
The linguistic fact, the etymology linked to the smell of the root, is distinct from the legend of the 'strength of the horse', a secondary interpretation and not the origin of the word. The classification among the rasayana is traditional and amounts to no validated therapeutic claim: nothing here is presented as a proven health effect.
Key takeaways
- • Prefers full sun exposure.
- • Ideal soil: dry, sandy, well-drained.