Ashwagandha
Withania somnifera
Family: Solanaceae
Herbaceous perennial in the tropics, annual in temperate zones. Native
to Africa, India, Mideast and the Orient. Ginseng-like tonic of the
Ayurvedics, used mainly in cases of physical and/or mental exhaustion,
also to strengthen weak or sickly children. Galactogogue. Cultivation:
Easy. Start seed in greenhouse or cold frame exactly as you would tomatoes.
Germ. in 15 days. Transplant out to the garden or field after the soil
has truly warmed up. Space plants 1 foot apart. Grows 2 to
3 feet tall. Will not over-winter in cold winter areas, unless
the soil remains very dry. (Roots will rot.) See Richo’s publication
“Growing Tropical Plants in the Temperate North” for more extensive medicinal
and cultivation information.
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