Ashwagandha Powder belongs to the Solanaceae family and its scientific name is Withania somnifera. It is also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry. In Sanskrit, it is known by the name Ashwagandha, which means the odor of a horse and the reason behind this name is that the roots seem to emanate an odor similar to the smell coming from horse sweat. The plant Ashwagandha originated from India and is found in dry regions.