Ashwagandha Root with the Latin name of Withania somnifera, is a five foot tall deep-green leafed shrub that is in the solanaceae family. This plant family includes such well-known vegetables as tomatoes, potatoes and eggplant, along with flowers like petunias. Ashwagandha root has clusters of yellow flowers and produces red fruit the size of a berry. The roots can reach eight to twelve inches long, and this is the part of the plant that is primarily used as organic herbs.